Hunger Games V2
by REDSTORMAR555
Summary: Someone volunteers to take Peeta's place in The Games. The boy who takes his place has one thing in mind, and what he does will shake the Country of Panem to its very core.
1. Chapter 1

******Hi everyone. Just saying that my other stories are on hold for this one. Read the book and wanted to right my own version of it.**

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please Review. **

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**Katniss POV**

"But more excitement to come! It's time for our boy tribute!" hoping to contain her tenuous hair situation, she plants one hand on her head as she crosses to the ball that contains the boys' names and grabs the first slip she encounters. She zips back to the podium and she reads the name. "Peeta Mellark."

Peeta Mellark! Oh, no, I think. Not him. Because I recognize this name, although I have never spoken directly to its owner. Peeta Mellark. He climbs steadily onto the stage and takes his place.

Effie then asks "Will anyone volunteer for this young man?"

"I volunteer!"

Everyone's head darts to the direction the voice came from and I could see an arm prod out of the ocean of people below me. The arm came down and everyone seemed to make way for whoever it was. I already had an idea of who it was, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried.

'He's worse then Peeta!' were my thoughts at the moment. When the boy started to get closer, I could make out his features: semi- tan skin, blood red eyes, short messy brown hair, a lean body, and was of medium height.

' Why? Why, out of everyone here did it have to be him?' again, my thoughts. He had made it to the stage and went up to Effie. "Another volunteer! This district must be very excited about this year's Games! You can go Petta." Petta steps down from the stage and takes his place in the crowd, and actually looks somewhat afraid. My guess is that he's worried about Alto. I've seen them hang around each other after school sometimes. "What is your name?" The boy then speaks, his voice actually a little darker then I expected.

" Alto Hayes." he doesn't seem too happy about the situation, which makes me think why he would volunteer. He seems to read my mind, because he answers

" I volunteered because I know most families want to keep their sons, and I don't have family myself. It wouldn't matter if I lost." he says, now crossing his arms, giving an annoyed look to me and Effie. She seemed oblivious to it as she replied "That's the true spirit of the Games!"

Alto growls slightly at her comment. After a little bit of formalities, the mayor starts reading about the Treaty of Treason, but I'm to busy formulating a plan for the Games. I know Alto, not well but well enough. He hunts just like Gale and I do. I've seen him out their on many occasions, and I know he's a fighter.

I remember a time when Gale and I were out hunting about a year ago, we heard a commotion behind some trees. We decided to investigate and found Alto fighting a grizzly with only a tomahawk and what looked like a combat knife. We took off when the bear charged at us, though Alto tackled the it which distracted it long enough for us to get away. Being that he's still alive ether says that he got away or that he killed the bear. I later learned from Gale, who had talked to Alto, that the bear was protecting its cubs. Alto was the better hunter though, as he had killed the bear and its cubs. That answered my earlier question I had for my mother. I remember coming back to a decently large meal of meat, meat that I hadn't caught. I asked her about it and she simply said that someone had given it to her. Alto probably swung over here when Gale and I were selling some of our kill.

Once the mayor finishes reading the Treaty of Treason, he motions to Alto and me, telling us to shake hands. His grip is strong like I expected, but the warmth his hands give off surprise me. We look each other in the eyes, and I can see that his face grew softer then it was before. His face seems to be silently saying 'good luck' to me. We then turn to face the crowed as the anthem plays. I then close my eyes and take a deep breath.

Luck, huh; I'm going to need a lot of it now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please Review.**

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Alto POV

After the anthem finished, some peacekeepers dragged us into the Justice Building, and threw us into a room and gave us about an hour to say goodbye to loved ones. Well, its kind of pointless for me. Like I said before, I don't have family. Friends yes, but not family. I don't really know what happened to them, I've heard many stories of how they died or ran off, but in reality, I could really care less.

I look around one of the most expensive rooms I've ever seen or been in. Carpets are velvet, I can tell by the look and feel of it. When I was younger, I use to have a blanket made of it, use to calm me down in stressful situations. It still does and it's kind of helping now. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I know I volunteered for the Games; but it was kind of out of choice. There is a reason I did volunteer, but I won't say anything yet. Anyway, back to the visits. I'm only expecting one person, and my assumption is right as someone enters the room. He's about my height, stocky, with ashy blond hair, and blue eyes.

"Peeta."

"Alto." We regard. He comes and sits next to me on the couch. "Would've figured you'd end up in the Games to take the glory." He says with humor, and we can't help but chuckle slight at the comment. We were silent for a moment.

"I could have gone instead." He says in a serious tone.I turn to him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Your not ready for this, you show potential, but you still have a ways to go. Besides, it's already been decided, and nothings going to change the Capitals mind."

"Yeah, I know." He replies, with what sounds like a tired voice. The peacekeeper is at the door, signifying that our time is up. As Peeta gets up, I say to him.

"Remember, if I survive The Games, you know what to do." He nods and walks out as the door closes behind him. After a few minutes of just sitting, a peacekeeper says I have another visitor.

'Strange. Who else is there?' To my surprise, it's Katniss's mother and sister. What was her sister's name? Prim? I think that's it. They sit on the chairs in front of me and we more or less sit their. It's quite awkward, we have really nothing to speak about, and I see it as strange that they would see me knowing that I have to kill one of their family members. Their both staring at me; Prim's face shows curiosity, while her mother's is blank, almost lifeless. Its pretty much silence the entire time. The peacekeeper then signals our time is up and they walk out of the room. Before the door closes, Prim gives me a sad smile and waves her hand slightly at me. I return the jester, with a slight smile.

For the rest of the time that I have, I just sit there, formulating different plans for The Games. I need to take in multiple scenario to make sure that I have a chance in their. I need to live to see one person. Once my time is up, the Peacekeepers come and escort me to a car. I myself have never been in a car. It's a relatively short ride to the train station. When we do get there, the area is packed with reporters, wanting to get a glimpse of our faces.

I decide to put an annoyed look on my face, and after I'm standing outside of the car, cross my arms to give myself a more aggressive look. My eyes flicker to the screen that's broadcasting live, and I give a satisfying "Hmph" at my appearance. I turn to my right, and see Katniss, who's giving a neutral face. It doesn't surprise me that she didn't cry; she seems too strong for that. She turns to me, probably wondering how I'm doing, and gives a slightly annoyed grunt, her face taking on the look the grunt illustrated. We stand in front of the train for a few minutes, letting the reporters get all the footage they want, and then are let inside. Once the doors close behind us, the train races off towards the Capital.

It's much faster then I expected, traveling at about 250 miles per hour, we'll make it to the Capital in a little over a day. The train is more expensive then the Justice Building, which is amazing in itself. Effie then takes us to our quarters, which is a bed room, dressing room, and private restroom with running water. She also says to be ready for supper in an hour. When I'm in the room, I explore the different areas. The dressing room is huge, about half the size of the room. The bed is large as well, big enough to hold, in my opinion, five peole. Once I'm satisfied, I head towards the shower. I strip down and enter the shower, giving a questioning look at all the buttons and dials on the wall, each a different color; blue, green, red, orange, and black.

'It's a shower, not a hovercraft.' were my thoughts. I click on a green one and it shoots me with green foam all over my body. 'What the hell is this?' were my thoughts at the moment. I press another one and this time blue foam plopped on my head. "Damn it. Come on." I growled.

After a few minutes of button clicking, multiple curses and several falls, I push a button, and water finally shot out of the shower head.

"Thank God." I wash off the foam and turn off the water. I dry myself with the multiple towels that are provided and get dress for supper. I just put on a black shirt with jeans. I walk though the narrow corridors and find the dinning room. Again, the table is big, same size of the bed in my current room. I just plop myself on a seat and wait for everyone to come. I sit their, my arms crossed again, and with closed eyes. It's quite and I enjoy silence. It's another thing that calms me down. It surprises me how quite the train is, even when its going past 200. After a few minutes, Katniss and Effie find their way to me.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asks.

"Taking a nap, getting drunk in his room. How the hell am I supposed to know?" I reply.

Effie gives me an angry look, which I pay no attention to, and motions to Katniss to take a seat. She sits to my right. We are then served; carrot soup with green salad, lamb chops, mashed potatoes, cheese, fruit and chocolate cake. Effie tells us to save some room because more is to come. I'm too busy devouring the food in front of me to care. I've never had so much food. Most I ever had was the intestine of a bear. I sell most of the things I kill. That, and I give most of it to needy families, and from what I read, bear intestine has everything that a healthy boy like me needs.

"At least you two have decent manners." Effie comments. I pretty much ignore her, now attacking the cake. I taught myself manners, and I believe Kantiss's mother taught her. After we finish the meal, I'm starting to regret eating so much. I can feel the food trying to creep its way up my throat, being that I never had this much food in me. I turn to Katniss, and see she's having the same problem as I am, evident by the light shade of green she's turning.

After supper, and a few gags, we gather into a compartment and watch a recap on the reapings. It goes through district order, 1-12. When we watch it, I pay attention to the kids who look like they could pose a threat; a huge boy from district 11, a boy named Cato and girl named Clove from district 2. I think I should pay close attention to the girl from district 11. Rue was it? She may be small and only 12, but I never underestimate my opponents. She could easily stick a knife in my back when I lest expect it. Katniss is someone I should watch for too. If they have a bow in their, I have to make sure that she doesn't get a hold of it. Yes, it may seem a bit screwed up, but I have better things to worry about, specifically what I'm going to do after the games. Believe me; if I could, I'd try saving everyone, especially someone I…uh… generally care about.

Yeah, I have feeling for Katniss…I guess. It's still confusing to me. I don't know when these feelings came. At first I thought it was just a weird phase and that it would pass, but is kept with me. After I just accepted it. At times, back in the district, when she was in class, I would sneak peeks of her. I never went to the school and mostly sat in a tree next to the place. She may have caught me once, but I don't know. I had made it look that I was looking in the class room in general and she hasn't said anything to me.

Anyways, the broadcast finally shows district 12 reaping. It shows Effie calling Prim, Katniss volunteered for her sister, Prim being pulled from her sister by that one boy Gale, Haymitch nearly killing himself, Peeta's name being pulled, and then me volunteering.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." Effie says, trying her hardest to fix her wig, which seemed to list severely to the right.

I chuckle slightly. "What's he suppose to learn, he's like this every year; drunk beyond comprehension. He's never sober enough to understand really anything."

"More like everyday." Katniss adds, chuckling with me.

"Yes." Effie replies, though she sounds like she's hissing now. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is the lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!"

A door swings open, Haymitch stumbles in, and in a slurred voice asks. "I missed supper?" He then vomits on the floor and he falls right on it.

"So laugh away!" Effie cries, as she maneuvers over Haymitch and out of the room. I turn to Katniss

"This lazy bastard's our mentor?" I say, pointing at the one being mentioned. She shakes her head. I turn and look at the drunk on the floor, who's now moaning slightly. I sigh

"We are so utterly screwed."


	3. Chapter 3

**This is my first try at a slightly romantic scene, so please tell me how I did. If its negative feedback, put it lightly. Also, Alto is 16.**

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please Review.**

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**Ch 3: Alto POV**

Katniss and I watch as our mentor tries to rise from the vile things that were in his stomach. The smell of vomit literally engulfs the air in the compartment, enough so to were I hear Katniss gag slightly. We exchange a glance. Haymitch may not be much, but Effie is right; once were in the arena, he's all we got. "The things I do." I mutter. Both of us take one of Haymitch's arms and help him up.

"I tripped?" He asks, actually confused. "Smells bad." He wipes his hand on his face, smearing the vomit.

"Come on." I say and we start walking him to his room. He seems to be putting most of his weight on me, and I say in an irritated tone.

"Why the hell does he drink so much?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?" Katniss replies in an equally irritated tone.

"I would if he was damn sober enough to understand anything!"

We lead him into the bathroom and put him in the bath and turn on the shower. He doesn't seem to notice the water as it hits him.

"If you want to leave, I wouldn't blame you. I can take it from here."

I know that she's grateful about this, but I know she may also think that I'm trying to get on Haymitchs good side, though he's so drunk I doubt he'll remember anything from tonight.

"Alright." She says. "I'll send one of the Capital people to help you."

"I'd rather you not, lest I end up killing one."

It was silent for a moment until I hear the door close behind me. I then proceed to clean up Haymitch. I take of his shirt, which is soaked in vomit, and drop it on the floor. He's wearing an undershirt that's surprisingly clean. I decide to strip him down to his boxers because there are some things that I'd rather not see in my life. I soak a towel and start wiping his stomach contents off his face. I then clean his chest. After, I just rinse him off and then dry him. I lead him to his bed and help him in. He falls asleep almost immediately, so I have to position him in a way to were he won't fall off the bed, which takes me about ten minutes to do.

'He's like a child.' I think as I exit the room. I start towards my room and as I'm walking, stare outside. Its dark now, everyone's probably sleeping now. I stop and continue to stare out the window. Lets see, 250 miles, Capitals in the Rockies, District 12 is on the other side of the country…we may be in district 10-8 if I did my math right.

When I make it to my room, I throw everything off except my boxers and climb into the bed. It's not surprising that the bed soft, and it seems to be heated as well. I'm not tired, so I basically lay their with closed eyes. After what seemed like hours, I decide to take a warm bath to see if that will help me fall asleep. I sit their in the bath, contemplating today's events, and thinking of the coming days.

"If I remember correctly, parade first, a few days of training, then our presentation for sponsors, then Games. Hmm, should be easy enough." I say to myself.

Since I have nothing better to do, why don't I talk about my history? My family left me at the doorstep of an orphanage when I was a newborn. I found this out from one of the nannies that took care of me. I didn't like it their, It seemed so confined, so boring; with what I say was little freedom. So when I turned eight, I took off. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I soon found out that it was hard living on your own, especially a child. I stole at first, was real good at it to. Sold things that couldn't be eaten. After awhile, my luck ran out, and I was unlucky enough to be caught by a man who owned a food market when I was ten. Thing is, he was very strict about stealing. He beat me to a bloody pulp, and left a huge slash on my chest to remember him by. He dragged me, after the beating, to the wilderness, threw me over to the other side, and left me to die. Seems a bit much, but that didn't matter to the guy. I couldn't really see anything, but I heard a struggle of some sort, some gurgling, and then silence. Before I lost consciences, I could see a figure standing above me.

When I woke up, I found myself in a bed, with all my wounds tended to. At first, I was scared; I didn't know were I was. Then an old man walked in, and informed me about the situation. He said that I could stay as long as I needed to until I heal. It was a few weeks before I was back on my feet. I asked what I could do in return, but they said it was alright, that I didn't have to do anything to repay them. I wondered around the district one week after the incident, and a second later, found myself on the floor. I looked at the person who was running away, and recognized him as one of the guys who helped me heal. He's cloths were soaked in blood, and he was being chased by a peacekeeper, who was holding his side with the same crimson liquid leaking on the floor. I decided to follow him, and found myself back at the building. The old man greeted me at the door. I asked what the boy had done, and he replied.

"The right thing." It didn't answer my question.

"Can I do what you do?" I ask. I would do anything to get back at the Capital for what they done to so many people, especially for The Games. He contemplates this for a moment before answering.

"Yes."

He took me in and showed me the ropes, and I actually enjoyed it. The old man started to become a father figure to me. In about one year, I was pretty high in the organization, and I was getting more people in everyday. Peeta was one such person. After, I started to hunt, due to the lack of food we had. Most of what I killed I brought back, and some I would sell some for other necessities. I would normally try for the big game, though a few rabbits were ok too. That's when I first started seeing Katniss. I would see her out their hunting with that kid Gale. At first, they were quite annoying. They would at times scare game away that I was about to kill and Katniss would sometimes watch me hunt too. I don't think she knew that I knew that. Maybe that's when I started having feeling for her, I don't know.

Then I first encountered a bear. I was looking in an area for some berries, and it just so happened that a bear stumbled on the bush I had my eye on at the same time I got to it. All I had was a bow and a knife, so you could imagine how damn scared I was. I was able to get away, but it got me thinking about brining an actual weapon. After some thought, I decided to make myself a tomahawk. They were a very good for close quarters combat, and if I worked on my throwing, could be a useful long range weapon. It took me two months to make it. I started to practice with it very often, and when I turned thirteen, decided to fight a bear. It was long and hard, but I eventually killed the bear. I brought it back with me, and we had one feast were everyone was actually full. I sold the leftovers for some much needed medication.

After the event, I hunted bear more often, and most of the time it was successful. I even had to save Katnisse's and Gale's asses when a bear I was fighting charged them about a year back. In some cases though, I was nearly killed; by a bear or a mutt. Yes, there are dangerous mutations out their, and they still scare the shit out of me. I, myself, have never killed one. I've seen the mutt before; jet black fur, eight huge spikes that stuck out of its head and pointed upward, about the size of a bear, paws looked more like permanent claws, with what looks like angle wings on its back, jaw set with hundreds of razor sharp teeth, has the power that could literally take down a building, and blood red eyes, just like mine. I don't know the official name, so I called it Nazo; a word from the language known as Japanese; means 'Mystery'. Only fought one, and woke up on the table in Katniss's house with her mom tending to me as a result.

My life is pretty much the same from their, so you know my entire background.

After explaining all of this to you, I start to feel drowsiness, so I dry myself off and return to the bed. For some strange reason, I'm more tired then I though, as I fall asleep almost immediately. I end up waking up on my own. I was expecting Effie to wake me up in whatever way she does, probably yelling in a cheery way. I decide to throw the cloths I wore last night back on. I wash my face with cold water to wake myself up. I go back to the bed and drop to my knees. I cup my hands together, close my eyes, bow my head and pray. I'm one of the few people who still believe that God exist. If you're curious, I'm a Christian. In no way is this to persuade you into becoming one.

I give thanks to many things in my prayer and The Lord's Prayer, but I pause because I hear something. After a moment, I realize that someone is standing outside my door, due to the heavy breathing I can hear.

'Wonder who that is.' When I finish the prayer, I walked to the door and slid it open. I find Katniss their, who falls towards me suddenly, giving a small yelp in surprise. I'm not prepared for her, so when she falls into me, I fall as well. My head hits the ground first, then the air's forced out of my lungs due to the extra weight. I give a moan for the pain in my head. I start lifting my head.

"Damn it, what am I doing that makes you so-" I stop immediately when both our noses touch. It wasn't because of that small thing, but because I take into account, how close we are. She's still laying on me after the fall, using her arms to slightly support herself, though her hands are on top of mine. I'm propped on my elbows, with our faces inches away from each other. For some reason, I was hypnotized by her eyes. They're very common in district 12, but they seemed so…perfect on her. They matched so well with her black hair, which is still in the braid she had yesterday. Her olive skin was actually warmer than I expect, and smother. I felt myself wanting the heat; kind of a strange thing for me, but at that moment, I could really care less. I may have seemed embarrassed on the outside, but in reality; I was really enjoying this.

"Ummm…" is all I can say, and I can feel my face heat up slightly. She seems to notice our closeness at that moment, when she sakes her head slightly. Her face than takes on its own light shade of red. Before I know it, she's already up on her feet.

"Breakfast's ready." She says before literally jogging out the room. I lay their for a moment, staring at the door Katniss had ran out of. I let myself lie on my back.

'Why did I have to really start falling for her now?'

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**Katniss POV: Few minutes earlier**

Effie had come to get me for breakfast. We were already in the dinning car. She was holding a cup of black coffee, mumbling about something, though I don't catch any of it. Haymitch is here, his face puffy and red from that fall last night, and he's laughing. Alto isn't here though.

Effie gives a small shriek. "Oh! I forgot about Alto! Could you go fetch him for breakfast please?"

I shrug. "Alright."I then begin to walk back to Alto's room. It wasn't long before I was in front of his door. I'm about to call him until I hear mumbling on the other side of the door.

'Is he talking to himself?' I think to myself. I put my ear to the door to listen in.

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into-." I lift my head away.

'Is he praying?' This was strange; I didn't know anyone believed anyone still believed is those pre-Panem religions. To me, it seems that religion is a sorry excuse to feel sorry for yourself. It can't do anything to help you. It seems like a waste of time and energy. I put my ear back on the door. Now it's quite.

'Did he hear me?' I don't think he did, because he starts praying again. It's rather quick, and he ends it with an 'amen'. After, it's very quite. I still have my ear to the door, when it slides open. I give a small yelp as I lose my balance and fall forward. He doesn't expect it, because I hit him and take him down with me. We hit the ground hard, though he takes most of it, evident by the large '_bang!_' when he makes contact. He gives a small groan and I start to lift my head.

"Damn it, what am I doing that makes you so-" He stops when our noses touch. We had apparently lifted our heads up at the same time. At first, I thought it was because of this small gesture. But then I see our position; I'm still on top of him. He's propped on his elbows, my hands are on his, being that I was trying to pick myself up before we stopped. Our faces are inches away from each other. I wanted to pull away, but for some reason couldn't peel my eyes away from his. They were so strange, not common in district 12. Almost all people have gray eyes, but he had crimson eyes. They seemed to hypnotize me, pulling me in. He was warm, really warm, and for some reason, I found it comforting.

"Ummm…" His face gives off a red color. It snaps me out of the trance, and I shake my head. I look back at him, and I feel my face burning up. My body moves by itself, and I'm already on my feet.

"Breakfast's ready." I literally run out of the room.

'Stupid!' I mentally curs myself for that happening. 'He's going to try and kill me, remember!'

I'm walking back to the dining car, trying to forget about the incident, but I can't get his crimson eyes out of my head. Why did he have to have the eyes? Or that strange touch that made me feel comfortable? Only my father's touch made me feel that way.

"Why did it have to be him?"

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**Alto POV **

After that little incident, I picked myself up, and started towards the dinning car. I still had the image if Katniss and I on the floor in my room in my head, and the heat in my face hadn't faded yet.

'Aw, come on; fade already.' I mentally command myself to get ride of this blush plastered on my face. Fortunately, it does go away by the time I get their. Everyone's sitting down eating, except Effie, and Katniss is avoiding my gaze. I sit myself onto her right and start devouring food. While eating, I grab a random cup and start drinking, but stop.

"Chocolate?" I say aloud. Katniss simply nods her head. I proceed to down it before stuffing my face again. After a few minutes, my stomach feels like it's about to ripe open. We sit their in silence until Katniss asks Haymitch.

"So, your suppose to give us advice."

"Here's some advice. Stay alive." He starts laughing loudly. That pisses me off. Before I know it, I hit the bottle of his blood red liquor that's in his hands. It shatters on the floor.

"This may be a game to you, but it's not for us."

He considers this a moment, and my instincts tell me to throw my arms up, which blocks a punch aimed for my face. The force pushes me off the chair, and I roll to my feet. He reaches for his spirits, but Katniss drives her knife into the table, between his fingers. She seems to brace herself for a hit, but it never comes. Haymitch sits back and squints at us.

"Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?"

"Isn't that obvious?" I say.

"Don't act smart with me." He turns to Katniss. "Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?"

She pulls the knife out and throws it at the wall. It embeds itself it the seam between two panels.

"Stand over here, both of you." He nods to the middle of the room. We obey and he starts circling us, sometimes prodding us like animals, checking our muscles, examining our faces.

"Well, you're not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists get hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."

"All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you." says Haymitch. "But you have to do exactly what I say."

"Hmph." Is my response.

"So help us." Katniss asks. "When we get to the arena, what's the best strategy at the Cornucopia for someone —"

"One thing at a time. In a few minutes, we'll be pulling into the station. You'll be put in the hands of your stylists. You're not going to like what they do to you. But no matter what it is, don't resist."

"But-" She protests.

"No buts. Don't resist." Haymitch then grabs his spirits and leaves. Then the car goes dark. The lights are on, but the outside looks like it's been consumed by night again. Were probably going through the Rockies now. Their the reason that the districts lost the war against the Capital. Think; climbing the mountains are difficult when you're being bombed by their air force at the same time.

So we just stand their in silence. I hear heavy breathing, and I turn to face Katniss. She seems to be having a panic attack, in my opinion.

"Katniss, you okay?" She flinches and looks at me.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." She says.

I don't believe her, but I don't question her further. After a little bit, the train starts to slow and light floods back into the car. We can't really help but bolt to the window. It's just like I imagined it; glistening buildings in a rainbow of hues that tower into the air, the shiny cars that roll down the wide paved streets, the oddly dressed people with bizarre hair and painted faces who have never missed a meal. All the colors seem artificial, the pinks too deep, the greens too bright, the yellows painful to the eyes, like the flat round disks of hard candy I use to steal at the tiny sweet shop in District 12. People begin to point at us, knowing a tribute train when they see one. Katniss backs away from the window, while I hold my ground and counting looking outside until the station blocks our view of them.

"Well, I don't think that I'm going to enjoy the stylist."

"That's something we can both agree on." Katniss replies.

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**Like Alto said earlier, it no way is this to persuaded you into becoming Christian. Just need to point that out. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I was lazy when I wrote this chapter. I didn't like it, but I couldn't think of anything else to add to this chapter. **

**Also, where are reviews? A lot of people like this story but I only have one review.**

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please Reivew. I don't care whether it good or bad feedback, just tell me how I'm doing or what I should improve on.  
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**Alto POV**

God, this is strange. When we exited out of the train, they took us to the Remake center. Their, my prep team, whose names I can't remember, or at lest all of them, get their hand on me. They literally tear the cloths from my body and start scrubbing me down with gritty loam that cleanse the dirt off my body and seems to peel a few layers of skin off. After that, they proceed to take all the hair off my body. My legs, arms, torso, under arms, even parts of my eyebrows, are hairless. I feel like someone just scraped a knife all over my skin. My skins raw from the abuse of that loam, tweezers, and some fabric that rips off hair. You could imagine that I put a tomato to shame with the color my skins put on now. Their still working on my arm, using that fabric for it, and I grit my teeth every time they tear it off.

"Don't worry, we're almost done!" Says a man, who's peeling my hair from my arm.

What's with their voices? Why are they so high, and the accent? I'll never get these people. Salaya's the only one with a normal voice. She's wearing some strange dress that looks like a robe that's gold and red, her skin's pale white. She has black highlights on her eyes.

When he takes what hairs left on my arm off, they decide I'm not clean enough and throw me into a bath. Their, they scrub me again with loam and add soap that feels like they made it to purposely take layers off your skin to prevent hair form growing their again.

"Where did you get this scar from?" Salaya asks, poking my chest.

"I got that from a man who didn't take a liking to me."

"Did you do anything that might have upset him?"

"I stole food from him."

"That doesn't give him the right to hurt you the way he did."

"Hn." They wash me for awhile. It's already been here three hours and I think I may be here for the remainder of the day. Salaya is scrubbing my chest, one man's doing my back, and the other's doing my arms. I just sit their, wincing in pain at some points for about an hour. They take me out of the bath, dry me off, and circle me with tweezers, getting any stray hair that's on my body. After, they rube lotion that stings at first, but soothes my skin. After, they leave the room, leaving me their stark naked. I stand their for awhile until the door opens to reveille who I think is my stylist. I didn't pay much attention to what she was wearing.

"Hello Alto. My name is Portia, your stylist."

"Hello." She doesn't say anything else, just starts circling me, taking in every inch of my body. I unconsciously shiver, it's strange, this feeling. This is probably how the animals feel when they know that I'm stalking them. After a minute, she stands in front of me. She smiles slightly.

"How are you with fire?"

'What?'

I soon find myself in a black unitard, neck to ankle, some leather boots that shine and come to my knees, a cape with the colors orange, yellow, and red with a matching head piece. I couldn't imagine myself dressing in this or staying in it all the time for a life; I can't really move in a comfortable way. I have no makeup on, which I'm thankful for. "You and Katniss will look amazing out their!" Portia squeals in excitement. I'm still having second thoughts about Haymitch's deal on the train. He may have considered some things, but I don't think this is one of them. I'm actually relived when Katniss comes, dressed in the same getup as I'm in. Our prep-team seems very giddy about this, except for Cinna, he seems wary. We're taken to the bottom level of the Remake Center, which is a giant stable. The opening ceremonies are going to start. All the pairs of tribunes are being loaded on to their chariots, which are pulled by four horses. They're very well trained; you don't even need to hold the rein. Our horses are coal black.

Cinna and Portia take us to our chariot and arrange our bodies in a way that they like. Once they finish that, they move and consult with each other.

"What do you think, about the fire?" Katniss asks.

"I'm not sure what to think."

"I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said, but I don't think he considered this angle."

"Damn right about that. Put him in our position and see if he wouldn't change his mind."

"Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?" She asks, looking around to see if he was here at all.

"With all that alcohol in him, it wouldn't be very smart, least he explode and take the entire country out."

We're both start laughing at that. I guess we're both so nervous about the Games and petrified of being turned into human torches, we're not acting sensibly. The opening music begins. It's easy to hear, blasted around the Capitol. Massive doors slide open revealing the crowd-lined streets. The ride lasts about twenty minutes and ends up at the City Circle, where they will welcome us, play the anthem, and escort us into the Training Center, which will be our home/prison until the Games begin.

The tributes from District 1 ride out in a chariot pulled by snow-white horses. They were spray-painted silver, in tunics glittering with jewels. District 1 makes luxury items for the Capitol. You can hear the roar of the crowd.

They are always goddamn favorites.

District 2 gets into position to follow them. In no time at all, we are approaching the door and I can see that between the overcast sky and evening hour the light is turning gray. The tributes from District 11 are just rolling out when Cinna appears with a lighted torch.

"Here we go then," he says, and before we can react he sets our capes on fire. Katniss gasps and I shut my eyes in anticipation of the heat, but it doesn't come. All I feel is a tingling sensation. Cinna then ignites our headdresses.

"It works." He gently tucks a hand under Katniss's chin.

"Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!" Cinna jumps off the chariot and has one last idea. He shouts something up at us, but the music drowns him out. He shouts again and gestures.

"What's he saying?" Katniss asks. I look back, but can't really make out what he's trying to say. I look to Portia, and she has her hands out, then she puts them together, like she's holding someone's hand.

"I think they want us to hold hands." I grab Katniss's right hand in my left, and we look to Cinna for confirmation. He nods and gives a thumbs-up, and that's the last thing we see before we enter the city.

At first, the crowd gasps at our display, I even hear some screams, but then it turns into cheers of "District 12!" or "Alto!" "Katniss!" Everyone's head is turned in our direction, the other tribunes being completely ignored. Everyone's going nuts. I'm able to glance at the large television screen, and see how dazzling we are. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked stupid, but now, I take that back. Katniss looks amazing too. 'Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you!' I hear Cinna's words. Well, I'm not big on waving, so I'll just go with smiling.

I glance at Katniss, who seems to be enjoying this, waving her hand, blowing kisses. They're screaming her name and someone even tosses a rose to her. She's also cutting blood circulation to my hand, but I don't pay much attention to that until we reach City Circle, when I can't feel in anymore. She seems to notice, and starts loosening her grip. I feel myself falling backwards, so I tighten my grip on her hand.

"Don't let go. I feel like I'm going to fall of this damn thing."

"Okay." She replies, and she keeps a hold of me. That's when a thought hits me; why did Cinna put us together like this? I mean think about it, we're going to have to kill each other once we're in the arena. Our chariots come to a halt in front of President Snow's mansion. A small, thin man with paper-white hair gives the official welcome from a balcony above us. It obviously Snow. It is traditional to cut away to the faces of the tributes during the speech, but I can see on the screen that we are getting way more than our share of airtime. The darker it becomes, the more difficult it is to take your eyes off our flames. When the national anthem plays, they do make  
an effort to do a quick cut around to each pair of tributes, but the camera holds on the District 12 chariot as it parades around the circle one final time and disappears into the Training Center.

Once the doors close, were swarmed by the prep-team, who I can't understand because they're talking at the same time, speaking loudly and fast from excitement, but I can guess that its praise for how we looked out their. I can see a lot of the other tributes giving us dirty looks which tells me that we completely outdone them.

'Wasn't that obvious?'

Cinna and Portia help us down while carefully taking of our flaming capes and headdresses. They put it out with some liquid from a can. Katniss and I are still glued together, and we have to force open our hands. We start rubbing them.

"Thanks for holding on to me their; I'm not sure how the other tribunes balance themselves on those things."

"Well, you didn't show any signs that you were falling."

"They didn't notice me because they were to busy noticing you. I say you should ware flames more often. They suit you."

I give somewhat of a shy smile, because I realize what I said, and I'm somewhat embarrassed. She doesn't say anything. What she does is stand on her toes and kisses me on the cheek. I don't get a warm sensation from it. I fact, I get the opposite. It feels so cold. I shudder, because I know that Katniss has every intention on killing me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alto POV**

The Training Center was designed especially for us tributes. We'll live here until the Games. Each district has its own floor, simply press you district number on the elevator. Easy to remember. I've been on an elevator only once, and that was when we were in the Justice Building yesterday. That one was as slow as a turtle and smelled like spoiled milk. This elevator has crystal walls, so you can see everything outside, watch the people turn to ants. Moves much faster too. I find it kind of exhilarating, and when we reach our level, I kind of want to go on again. But I know that would be a stupid thing to ask. Effie still with us. Apparently her duties didn't end on the train. She's going to see us of until the Games. That's good for us because I doubt that Haymitch will keep good on his deal. I kind of hope she can make him keep it.

"I've been very mysterious, though," she says, her eyes squint half shut. "Because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district."

"Barbarism? The hell?" I say aloud.

Effie sighs. "We must really work on controlling your language."

"I'll say whatever the hell I want to say."

Effie gives an irritated growl, but she seemed to ignore my language for now.

"Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But I said, and this was very clever of me, I said, 'Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!"

Katniss gives a shy smile to Effie while I put my hand on my fore head.

'What an idiot.'

Pearls come from shellfish, not coal. She was probably thinking that coal turns into diamonds, but that's not true ether. I wonder if everyone else in the Capital's just as stupid.

"Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Haymitch can do that," says Effie grimly. "But don't worry; I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary."

Effie may lack many things, but I like her determination.

My quarters are larger than our entire house back home. They are plush, like the train car, but also have so many automatic gadgets that I'm sure I won't have time to mess with all of them. The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature, pressure, soaps, shampoos, scents, oils, and massaging sponges. Thank god in here it's labeled. When you step out on a mat, heaters come on that blow-dry your body. Theirs also a ball that if you touch, is suppose to unknot your hair. I don't have long hair so I didn't use it. You can program the closet to give you cloths that you like. You can look at different parts of the city through a window on command. You can also order food and it appears in seconds. I'm looking at Snow's mansion when Effie gets me for dinner.

Katniss, Cinna, and Portia are standing out on a balcony that overlooks the Capitol when we enter the dining room. I have to say that I'm glade that they're here. Dinner isn't about eating, it's about strategies.

A young man who looks my age dressed in a white tunic, offers us glasses of wine. I take a glass and a sip.

"Do you have anything older?" I ask him. He simply nods and walks off to retrieve an older wine. I've had wine before, so it doesn't get to me very easily. The wine taste like it's new, and I prefer older wine. Tastes much better.

"I didn't know you drank." Katniss says.

"I've had it a few times before. It's not new to me."

"Were did you get the wine?"

"Peacekeepers."

Katniss gives me a questioning look.

"You're not the only one to bribe them. Someone bribes them with wine, and I steal the wine. I don't drink it all at once, just to let you know, so I'm not an alcoholic like Haymitch." Haymitch walks into the room at that moment.

"Speak of the devil."

He's been cleaned up quite a bit, and seems sober. He takes the wine, and when he starts eating, I realize this is the first time I've seen him eat. That's a good sign for us. Maybe he'll actually keep his promise. Cinna and Portia's presence bring what seems to me as a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie. Both of them have nothing but praise for our stylist' opening act.

When they start small talk, I look at the food on my plate; Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper, noodles in a green sauce, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes. Servers, dressed in white like the boy who first gave us wine, are walking around the table, making sure that all plates and glasses are full.

When I finish a second glass of wine, I look around the table. The stylist seem to be talking to Effie and Haymitch about costumes. Katniss seems distracted by something.

"What are you looking at?" I ask.

"What? Oh. No, I'm not looking at anything. This wine's getting to me."

"Ah, I see." As the last word exits my mouth, a girl puts a beautifully decorated cake on the table and lights it. The flames catch on to it like it was drenched in gasoline. It first engulfs the entire cake, but soon moves and flickers at the edges for a moment until it dies. Katniss is the first to speak.

"What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" She says, looking up at the girl. "That's the last thing I wa — oh! I know you!"

I raise an eyebrow, and look at the girl Katniss is referring to. My eyes widen slightly; I've seen her before too. The girl has terror plastered across her face, and she quickly shakes her head in denial before securing away. All four adults are watching her like hawks.

"Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possibly know an Avox?" snaps Effie. "The very thought."

"What's an Avox?" Katniss asks.

"Someone who committed a crime. They cut her tongue so she can't speak," says Haymitch. "She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know her."

"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order," says Effie. "Of course, you don't really know her."

Katniss seems to struggle with what to say next. "No, I guess not, I just —" She stammers, and the wine's not helping her. She kind of dug her grave here. I quickly think of a way to get her out of this moment. I think of a girls name back in district twelve, and the first one that comes to mind is Delly Cartwright. Hey, she doesn't look anything like this girl, but I doubt that anyone else knows that except Katniss.

I snap my fingers. "Delly Cartwright. That's who it is. I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realized she's a dead ringer for Delly."

Katniss jumps at the opportunity I give her. "Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair."

"Something about the eyes too."

The tension in the room dispersers almost immediately.

"Oh, well, If that's all it is." says Cinna. "And yes, the cake has spirits, but all the alcohol has burned off. I ordered it especially in honor of your fiery debut."

We eat the cake and go into the sitting room to watch a replay of the opening ceremonies. A few of the other tribubes make a nice impression, but they don't stand a chance when Katniss and I show. Everyone in the room gives an "Ahh!" as it shows us exiting the Remake Center.

"Whose idea was the hand holding?" asks Haymitch.

"Cinna's." says Portia.

"Just the perfect touch of rebellion, very nice."

"Rebellion." I repeat quietly to myself.

"Tomorrow morning is the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it." says Haymitch to Katniss and I. "Now go get some sleep while the grown-ups talk."

We walk down the corridors to our room. When we reach her room, I lean on the frame, not blocking her, but trying to get her attention.

"So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine finding her lookalike here?" She doesn't answer me for the longest time. My guess is that she's trying to see the pros and cons of telling me were she saw the Avox girl. After about a minute, I speak.

"Have you been on the roof yet?" She shakes her head. "Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city. The wind's a bit loud, though."

"Can we just go up?"

"Sure, come on."

She follows me to a flight of stairs that leads to the roof. When were up, we walk to the railing at the side of the building. Katniss seems to be taking everything in.

"I asked Cinna why they let us up here. Weren't they worried that some of the tributes might decide to jump right over the side?" I say.

"What'd he say?"

"You can't." I state simply.

"What do you mean you can't?"

I smirk. "I'll give you an example."

Before she can say anything else, I'm standing on the railing and I push myself forward, of the edge of the Training Center. I already know that theirs an electric field that's going to throw me back, but I want to scare the hell out of Katniss. I scare her alright, but she does something that catches me off guard.

She screams.

It's not just a regular scream, it's more like a bloody murder. I didn't know Katniss could scream.

'Wow.'

My train of thought is broken when electricity runs throughout my body. It's more painful then I excepted, but then again, it shouldn't surprise me. I suddenly find myself on my back, with Katniss over me.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" She yells.

"Nothing. I gave you an example." I reply as I sit up.

"What if you died?"

"But I didn't."

"Well…what if that field wasn't their!"

"But it was."

She takes a swing at my head, which I catch.

"Smartass."

"I try." I say, giving a slight bow. Katniss roles her eyes.

"Why are you so worried about me? I would think you would be alright with me dying. Less competition on your part."

"I…" She struggles with her words. I sit their, waiting for her answer. I'm still in the mood to mess with her, so I lean towards her, and I stop inches away from her face.

"What? Am I rubbing off on you?" I ask, smirk still plastered on my face.

She backs away. "N-no!"

I chuckle slightly. "Come on. Check out the garden."

I pick myself up and begin to walk. It's more stumbling then walking. My legs seem to be readjusting due to the electricity. The garden has pretty. There are flower beds and potted trees. On the branches are hundreds of wind chimes. Being that's its windy, it makes it hard to hear, well, for anybody but Katniss and I, I guess. I stand silent, and she picks up on that. She bends slightly and looks at a blossom.

"We were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game," She whispers.

"You and…?"

"My friend Gale and I. Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call. And then we saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their clothes were tattered. They had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it." She's silent, reliving the memories. "The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere."She continues. "I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net dropped down on the girl and carried her up, fast, so fast like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up as well. But I'm certain he was dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft. Vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."

"I was their too." I say. She turns quickly to me.

"What?"

"I was there, the night those two were taken. I was waiting for game, just like you. Unlike you though, I was much closer to them. I first heard rustling. Then I saw them. They were running past my little hiding spot. That's when the hovercraft appeared and got both of them. I was very nervous, because they were only a few feet away when the net came. Then that spear that turned that kid into a popsicle, and then the scream."

I shudder, and I can hear that same scream again ringing in my ears. I look at her, and she's shivering too.

"Here. Take my jacket." I say as I remove it from my back.

When I start to wrap it around her shoulders, she takes a step back, but then she accepts it.

"So were do you think they were going?"

"I don't know." She replies. We stand their, taking in the comforting silence.

"Did they see you?"

It takes her awhile to reply. "Yes."

She doesn't look real good right now.

"Maybe we should go back inside; it's starting to get chilly." She nods. Inside the dome, it's brighter and warm. My voice takes on more of a conversational tone.

"So, Gale's the one who dragged your sister away from you at the reaping?"

"Yes. You should know him."

"I do. The only time I ever spoke to him was when he asked me about that bear that charged you a year ago. When I first saw him, I thought he was your cousin."

"No, he's just a friend." When we reach her door, she hands me back the jacket.

"See you in the morning then."

"See you." I walk to my room, and throw everything of except the pants I wear, and slip into my bed. I can't seem to get the Avox girls scream out of my thoughts. I can only imagine how Katniss feels about it. She probably feels guilty for not doing anything to help them. Before I pass out, a thought passes into my head.

'I hope Katniss sleeps well.'

* * *

**Katniss POV**

When I open my door, the redheaded girl is collecting my unitard and boots from where I left them on the floor before my shower. I want to apologize for possibly getting her in trouble earlier. But I remember I'm not supposed to speak to her unless I'm giving her an order.

"Oh, sorry." I say. "I was supposed to get those back to Cinna. I'm sorry. Can you take them to him?"

She avoids my eyes, gives a small nod, and heads out the door. I'd set out to tell her I was sorry about dinner. But I know that my apology runs much deeper. That I'm ashamed I never tried to help her in the woods. I throw my shoes off and climb into my bed with my clothes on.

Now I have something else on my mind. Why did I freak out when Alto jump off the building? Maybe it was because I didn't expect him to jump. He is kind of right with what he said, about less competition. I'm still shivering, and I kind of miss being around Alto. His presence seemed to calm me down when we were talking about the incident, or when the memory kept repeating itself inside my head.

I shake my head. 'No, he's just trying to get under my skin, trying to make me feel like this so when we get into the arena, he can kill me off easier.' I fall to sleep with two thoughts; What's up with Alto, and if the Avox girl will enjoy watching me die.


	6. Chapter 6

**I think I made Katniss somewhat OOC int this chapter. **

* * *

**Alto POV**

I had some strange dreams from last night. I was basically reliving the day that girl and boy were captured by that hovercraft. Only difference was that the girl looked at me instead of Katniss. I could see the desperation in her eyes, and they were screaming 'Help me." All I did was sit their and watch as the craft disappeared. The thing I couldn't shake off was her eyes. I wake from the dream, in my room, with dim gray light making its way through the window. I'm actually shaking from the dream. I pick myself up from bed and decided against a shower. That scrub down that my prep team gave me is enough to keep me clean for weeks.I find an outfit that's been left for me in front of my closet; black pants, a long-sleeved burgundy tunic, and leather shoes.

While I'm changing, I can't help but think of what everyone back in twelve are doing right now. Peeta's making bread or hunting, whatever the old man told him he could do. Everyone else is probably doing what they do. I don't know, I was always occupied with hunting that I didn't pay any attention to what they do. The old man's setting up for the end of the games no doubt. I actually kind of miss twelve, now that I think of it, even if I was half starving all of the time.

After changing, I walk to the dining room. I met up with Haymitch on my way and, when we get their, Katniss is already eating, wearing the same cloths that I am. We both bid her a good morning, though she seems irritated. It's probably about the clothing. I personally see it somewhat annoying as well, but I'd rater not say anything about it. Cinna helped us immensely in that parade, so I won't question anything.

When I gather my food and seat myself, I think of what we have ahead of us; three days of training together with all the other tributes. On the final day, we perform for the Gamemakers. It'll be interesting to see what the other tributes have under their sleeves, even if their not showing all they got. Katniss seems to have lost her appetite on the thought, because she's playing with her roll.

After Haymitch finishes about 10 pounds of food, he pushes his plate back and sighs. He takes a flask from his pocket and takes a long pull on it.

"So, let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now." He states.

"Why would you coach us separately?" Katniss asks.

"Say if you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about."

Katniss exchange a look with me.

"I don't have any skills that you don't know of. " I say. "And I already know what yours is." She turns back to Haymitch.

"You can coach us together."

"All right, so give me some idea of what you can do." says Haymitch.

"I'm good with a tomahawk-knife combo, and throwing knifes, that's a big one." I reply.

"Alright. Katniss. I already know you're handy with a knife."

"Not really, but I can hunt." She says. "With a bow and arrow."

"And you're good?"

"I'm all right."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Katniss." I suddenly blurt out.

"What are you doing?" She asks suspiciously.

"You underrating yourself, you can't do that in The Games. If I don't win, I'd rather you win." I say. She doesn't say anything else.

After a minute, Haymitch says. "Well, then. Well, well, well. Katniss, there's no guarantee they'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?"

"I know a few basic snares." She mutters.

"That may be significant in terms of food," says Haymitch. "The plan's the same for both of you. You go to group training. Spend the time trying to learn something you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" Katniss and I nod.

"One last thing, in public, I want you by each other's side every minute." says Haymitch. We both start to object, but Haymitch slams his hand on the table.

"Every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training."

Katniss and I walk back to our room, and she makes sure that I can hear her door slam shut. Why the hell does Haymitch want us to act like friends, we're going to have to kill each other once we enter the arena. I may like her, but I have to face it; I may have to kill her. This isn't making it easier for me. I look at different parts of the Capital until it's almost ten. I meet Effie and Katniss at the elevator. The training room is underneath the building. It only takes about a minute for us to get down. The doors open to show gymnasium with different obstacle courses and filled with multiple weapons. The Gamemakers on here, they're on elevated stands that surround the gymnasium. Some wander around and take notes, while others are stuffing their faces with the endless buffet provided for them. They seem to keep track of district twelve. When I look up, I see a few of them staring down at us. It's not ten yet, but we're the last ones to arrive. Each person has their district number on their shirts. As someone pins the number twelve on me, I notice that we're the only ones wearing the same cloths.

We join the circle of tributes, and a tall, athletic women named Atala steps up and explains the schedule. There are different stations for skills, and we can wonder to all of them. We can't engage in combative exercise, assistants at each station will help you with that. When Atala reads the different stations, I take in all the tribunes. Their about my size, though some look bigger. Some look healthier then I do, most of them are from the wealthier districts. When Atala let us free, the Careers go to the deadliest-looking weapons in the gym and handle them with ease. Katniss just stands their, so I nudge her slightly. She jumps a little. My tone seems to sound like I'm bored.

"Where to?"

"Suppose we tie some knots."

"Right behind you." We head to the empty station. Now being that Katniss and I hunt, we already know how to tie knots. The trainer show us how to tie a simple trap that would leave a competitor dangling from a tree. We stay there for about an hour, then move to camouflage. I actually enjoy this a bit. I'm making different patterns on my skin.

"I'm better at this then I thought." Katniss looks at my arm.

"If only you could paint them to death." She replies sarcastically. I give somewhat of an irritated groan, and without really thinking, grab a handful of mud and drape it on her face. She gives a muffled groan and wipes some of it off. She glares at me.

"Did you just-"

"Yes, I did." I reply, smiling slightly. She looked kind of funny with the mud on her face. She suddenly tackles me to the ground with her left hand full of clay. She slams it into my face while shouting.

"You don't put mud on random people's faces!"

I'm able to get another handful of mud and slam it in her face.

"But I know you!"

Underneath the mud on her face, I can see white were her mouth is.

She's…smiling?

She's actually enjoying this?

Her laughs seem to prove me right. We kept attacking each other with clay, mud, and berries for about ten minutes, rolling on the floor, laughing like idiots. Some of the other tribunes stare at us like were insane, while the Careers ignore us completely, as if we didn't exist. When we finally stop, we're both a mess. We're also very tired, so tired that we don't pay attention to how we are on the floor, breathing hard. Both Katniss and I are lying on our backs, perpendicular to each other. Her head is on my stomach, while my right hand rests on her stomach.

"Well, that was amusing. Didn't think you were one to think about fun."

"Well that tells you how much you know about me."

She says, still catching her breath.

"Right." We lay there for a few more minutes. I look at the Gamemakers, and they're grinning like crazy.

"The Gamemakers seem giddy today." I tell Katniss. She looks up at them.

"I wonder why."

"Hn." I respond while I run my left hand through her hair. We stay like that a few seconds, then our eyes widen. We both realized how we were positioned when we were laying down. We both shoot up, and kind of scoot away from each other.

"Uh…sorry about that." I say, face heating up slightly.

"It's-It's alright." She replies, her face giving off a slight shade of red. We sit for a few second before I speak.

"So, where to?"

Basically, the three days pass with Katniss and I switching from station to station. We learn some new things and refine the skills of others. Haymitch wanted us to appear mediocre, but that doesn't stop me from excelling in hand-to-hand combat.

Hey, I fight bears; I think I'd be good at it.

Katniss passes edible pants easy. We stay clear of archery and throwing knifes, wanting to save those for our sessions. Lunch is brought to us in the gym. They bring carts down there and you serve yourself. Most of the Careers gather around one cart, as if to prove that they were above there notice, that they didn't fear each other. Most of the others sit alone. Katniss and I eat together because Haymitch won't stop hounding us to stay friendly with each other and strike up conversations.

It's difficult to find something to talk about. Topics about home or the present are unbearable, and I don't think Katniss is too fond about weapons. So, I talk about another thing I know about; bread. Back in twelve, Peeta would talk to me about different types of bread; he even tried teaching me how to bake once. That was the last time I ever tried to bake. I tell her how they try to incorporate all the districts in their bread. She seems somewhat interested.

"I thought Peeta was the one to know all this." She says.

"Well, Peeta told me all of those things. He even tried teaching me how to bake."

"How did that go?"

"I almost burned his house down." She gives a light laugh. We ignore the stares we're getting.

"Alright, now you." I say.

"Did I tell you about the time I was chased by a bear?"

"Was it the one that charged you last year?"

"No."

"Then no, but is sounds interesting." She tries to animate her face while recalling the story, which seems difficult for her. She once challenged a black bear for the rights to a beehive.

"So how did you get away?"

"Truthfully, I don't really know. I was so focused on getting away that I didn't stop until I was back in twelve. By then, I think the bear lost me."

On the second day, when we're throwing spears, or in my case, swinging it like a staff, I notice that Rue, that twelve year old girl from eleven, is watching us.

I whisper. "I think we have a shadow."

"What can we do about it?" She says harshly.

"Nothing, just saying. Calm down, damn." I reply. Why is she using that tone with me? I didn't do anything wrong, I just said.

Rue starts joining us at other stations. She's good with plants like Katniss, can clime fairly quickly, and has good aim with a slingshot, though I don't know what good that would do against anyone, especially the Careers.

Back on floor twelve, Haymitch and Effie update us about every moment of the day during breakfast and dinner. Cinna and Portia aren't here, so it doesn't seem as civilized as it was before. They keep telling us what we should or shouldn't do. Katniss gets very annoyed about this, but I have a little more patients. When we escape to our beds the second night, I can't help but say.

"Someone ought to get Haymitch a drink."

Katniss makes a sound that's somewhere between a snort and a laugh. By lunch on day three, the Gamemakers are calling all of us up for our presentations. They go again by district order, firs boy then girl. Like always , twelve is last. It takes awhile before they call me up.

As I rise, Katniss speaks. "Good luck."

"Thanks. You shoot straight." She gives me a nod and I walk into the gymnasium.

The Gamemakers seem board right now, but then again, so would I if I had so sit through twenty-four sessions. I hope they give me enough attention to give me a decent score. I wouldn't mind an eight.

I start for the weapon station. Theirs so many, you could literally supply an army with all of these. I pick up a belt of fifteen throwing knifes and walk to the range they have. Standard bull's-eyes and human silhouettes. I stand in the center of the gym and pick out my targets. I then pull one of the knifes and start messing with it, tossing it and catching it in my hand, getting a feel for the weight.

Once I'm confident, I slip it back onto the belt. I then grab two knifes and throw them at my predetermined targets. One digs itself between the eyes of one dummy, the other severed the chain holding a punching bag. Before the bag hit the ground, I threw one more knife, which hit it dead center before the bag split in half on the ground.

Impressive aim, if I do say so myself.

I look at the Gamemakers, and what I see literally makes me shake in anger. They're staring at the air, at flies.

Flies…

They're more interested in flies then me.

Then me!

My face is probably vivid right now. My body reacts before my mind, and I have four knifes in my hand. With a simple flick of my wrist, I send them towards the Gamemakers. They don't have time to gasp, because I don't hear any. My knifes hit all three flies and embed themselves in the wall behind them. The fourth knife takes a wig off one of the Gamemakers, who grabs his head. Everyone is silent.

"Thank you for your time and consideration." I say with a calm voice. I drop the throwing knife belt and walk out of the gymnasium.


	7. Chapter 7

**Please Review.**** Don't own Hunger Games.**

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**Alto POV**

'I'm such a dumbass!' I mentally curse myself as I walk into the elevator that takes me to my floor.

So much for the games! What will they do to me? Maybe arrest me, execute me, make me an Avox?

Hell if I know!

When I make it to my floor, I stalk my way into the sitting room were Haymitch and Effie are sitting.

"So how'd it go?" Haymitch asks.

"I'll tell you later." I reply.

I take a seat and turn to one of the Avox.

"Get me something strong." He nods, then walks off.

"That bad huh?"

"Yeah."

We sit their without any words. Effie's just sitting, Haymitch has his bottle, and I get something I never thought I'd see; Vodka. I can tell by the smell and how strong it is. Well, as long as I can forget how stupid I reacted during the sessions.

I kind of doubt they would arrest me, now that I think of it. They still need a male for twelve. They'll probably punish me in the arena. What better place then the arena? Give me a low score too while they're at it. No sponsors. Might as well kill me now. When we're in the arena, they'll probably sic some mutts on me.

After a few minutes, the elevator rings, and out comes, or flies Katniss. She takes off to her room while Haymitch, and Effie call out to her. She doesn't pay them any attention. I can hear her slam her door.

"I think she did worse then I did." I pick myself up, and walk to Katniss's door.

"Katniss?" I knock on her door.

"Go away!" She shouts. She sounds like she's crying. Theirs heavy breathing.

"Katniss, open the door."

"Leave me alone!"

I try opening the door, but it won't budge. She's either locked it or braced it.

"Katniss, let me in."

"No!"

"Katniss."

"Leave me the fuck alone!"

I take a deep breath. "Please Katniss, open the door. I want to help you, just give me a chance, please?" I plead. I really wanted to help her right now.

Theirs silence. When I pretty much give up on her letting me in, I hear a click at the door. I push it open. Katniss is on her bed, clutching a pillow. I walk up to the bed and sit down. Her eyes are red and puffy from the crying. She just looks at me, then berries her face into the pillow.

"Now, what happened down their?" I ask her. She doesn't respond immediately, it takes her time to finally come up with words.

"I, uh…I-" She can't really answer me.

"It's alright Katniss, take your time." She's silent for a few more seconds before she takes a deep breath and says.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers." She flinches, as if she didn't want me to hear it.

"You shot them?"

"No, not at them, at the apple in the pig's mouth. They were so distracted by it they didn't pay any sort of attention. I got so mad and my body reacted before my mind." She says, looks down and it's quiet again. I break the silence with chuckles. Katniss looks at me like I'm crazy. After my chuckles subside, I answer her silent question.

"Strange how we both did something similar for our sessions."

"What?"

"I threw knifes at them."

"Knifes?"

"Yes, knifes. They were distracted by flies. Apparently, they saw them more interesting then me. So, I took out the flies with knifes, and one of their wigs." I add. She chuckles slightly.

"Something similar happened with me. When I fired, one of them fell into a bowl of punch." We both start to laugh at that.

She then asks. "Will they do anything to my family?"

"I don't think they would do anything."

"How can you be so sure?"

"What reason would they go after your family? You're in the Games, that's enough a punishment to them."

"I guess your right."

"I'm always right." She gives me a glare.

"Okay, maybe not all the time." That makes her smile.

"So, are you better now?"

"Yes," She nods. "Much better." We both notice that it's darker, and glance at the window. The sun's already down, the lights of the capital flickering in its absence. Effie knocks on the door and tells us that dinner's ready. We turn back to each other and again, our faces inches away. She looks startled somewhat, and I more or less have grown use to it, a little anyway.

"Why does this always happen to us?" She asks, still in close proximity with me, looking me dead in the eyes.

"I don't know, ask someone who does. This doesn't bother me thought." I say, matching her gaze. She gives a sigh.

"I'll be a minute; I need to wash my face." She tells me as she moves towards the bathroom. I get up and head for the door.

"Alto?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." She says with a smile.

"No problem." I give a smirk. I close the door gently and walk to the dinning room.

Hm, that was strange. It was kind of awkward in reality; I've never seen Katniss cry for anything, even when her dad died in that mine accident, when she had nothing when her mom shunned the world and she had to take care of Prim. I'm surprised I was able to speak like I did.

I take my seat at the table, which is occupied by Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and Portia, and start on the fish soup they have. It's too salty, but I eat it anyway. Katniss walks in and avoids gazing at the adults. She still feels guilty about all of this. She feels that she threw our stylist's hard work down the drain. She takes small sips oh her soup. The adults are talking about something, I think about the weather. When the main course is served, Haymitch speaks to Katniss and I.

"Okay, enough small talk, just how bad were you today?" Katniss and I don't respond for awhile.

"How about we say it at the same time?" She nods, and we both take a deep breath.

"I threw knifes at the Gamemakers."

"I shot an arrow at them."

Everyone stops eating.

"You what!" Effie shrieks, and I wince at both the tone and the pain in my ear.

"I threw knifes at them. Well, not really at them; apparently they found flies more interesting then me. So, I threw four knifes, three took out the flies, and the last took the wig off one of the men."

"It was pretty much the same for me. They were to busy looking at the roast pig they had brought out, so I shot the apple out of its mouth."

"And what did they say to you two?" asks Cinna.

"Nothing or I don't know. I walked out after that." Katniss says.

"Same hear."

Without being dismissed?" gasps Effie.

"I dismissed myself." Katniss answered. Her tone says that she deeply regrets it.

...

"Well, that's that." Haymitch blurts as he butters a roll.

"Do you think they'll arrest me?" asks Katniss.

"Doubt it. Be a pain to replace you at this stage." says Haymitch.

"Told you Katniss." I say.

"What about my family? Will they punish them?"

Haymitch answers. "Don't think so. Wouldn't make much sense. See they'd have to reveal what happened in the Training Center for it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did."

"But they can't since its secret, so it'd be a waste of effort." I finish.

"Right. More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena." Haymitch adds.

"Didn't they already promise that?" I ask.

"Yes, they did." He replies as he rips a chunk of meat and starts to chuckle. "What were their faces like?"

"Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them. One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch."

Haymitch guffaws and we all start laughing except Effie, although even she is suppressing a smile.

"I'll get a bad score." Katniss says.

"You're telling me." I add.

"Scores only matter if they're very good; no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy." said Portia. I turn to Katniss to see that she's starting to stuffing herself now, a sign that she feels better.

After dinner, we go to sitting room to watch the scores announced on television. First they show a photo of the tribute, then flash their score below it. The Career Tributes naturally get in the eight-to-ten range. Most of the other players average a five. Surprisingly, little Rue comes up with a seven. I don't know what she showed the judges, but she's so tiny it must have been impressive. District 12 comes up last, as usual.

"Let's see what I got." I say when my picture shows on the television. I cringe in anticipation. Then the number flashes on the screen.

Twelve.

Twelve!

Effie lets out a squeal, and everyone's patting me on the back.

"How the hell did this happen?" I ask.

"Maybe they liked your temper." says Haymitch.

A large smile appears on my face. I still have a chance. Katniss's picture come up next, and again, it's a surprise to all of us.

Twelve!

My body reacts before my mind, and I have Katniss in a tight hug.

"I knew you had it in ya!" I laugh. She doesn't hug back, but I'm too excited for her to notice. She congratulates me while I hug her, though she does it quietly. After, we all go to our rooms to sleep. I still can't believe that Katniss and I got a twelve. More sponsors, which is good, but I also can't help but feel a sense of dread. Now that the other tributes know our score, we'll be the first on there list. But I can't worry about that now; what's done is done.

Come morning, I get up myself, take a quick shower of just water, and throw on a simple shirt and sweats. I get to my door, open it, and get three hard knocks on my head.

"Ow!"

"Oh! Sorry Alto, I didn't expect you to be up so early." Effie exclaims, rubbing the bruise on my forehead.

"It's all right Effie, it's all right."

We both make our way to the dinning room. They're serving a stew of lamb and dried peaches, along with a bed of white rice.

"What's with your head?" Haymitch points out.

"Effie here." I state simply.

"It was an accident." She says defensively.

When I take a seat, I turn to Haymitch.

"So, what's on today's to do list?"

"Couching for the interviews." Oh great.

At that moment, Katniss walks in.

"What happened with your head?" she asks, pointing at my head.

"Effie."

"I said it was an accident!"

"Anyway," I continue. "What's our approach?"

"The same."

Well, lets get this over with.

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**I decided to tweak Katniss's score, and t****hank you all for reading my stories.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to everyone who has read my story or commented. I can't stress that enough. In reality, I didn't think this story would be very interesting, but you guys proved me wrong. Again, Thanks! And please Review!****  
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**Alto POV**

"So what's our schedule?" says Katniss.

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four with me for content." says Haymitch. "You start with Effie, Katniss."

"Four hours? Who takes four hours for presentation?" I ask.

"Well, Katniss here…" Haymitch starts.

"What?" Katniss asks.

"Never mind, just go with Effie."

Katniss gets up and follows Effie to her room.

I turn to Haymitch. "Come on."

He leads me to the sitting room and motions for me to take a seat.

"So, what's my approach?" I ask.

"Well, you're likable."

"Likable?"

"Yes. You're laid back, but serious when you need to be, and due to your nature and experience, you can be arrogant at times."

He got all that just by looking at me?

"Did you get all this by seeing how I act?"

"Partially, but you have a certain vive that gives it away."

Oh damn.

We spend our four hours with Haymitch asking questions, and me answering them to the best of my abilities. Their simple, like 'What do you think of the Capital?' or 'What's your favorite thing about the Capital?' We already know how I'm going to act; like myself. Like Haymitch said, I'm laid back at most times, and I could be anybody's friend if I tried because of my attitude. After my four hours are up, I head to Effie for presentation. She seems thoroughly aggravated, probably about Katniss's attitude towards everything, or at least the Capital. I hate them too, but I'm able to disguise that feeling very well. It's rather difficult to live up to Effie's standards, but after the second hour, I'm getting it. By the end of the four hours, I'm doing it as if its second nature.

"You're more corporative then Katniss, thank goodness for that. I don't think I could handle that again." Effie tells me.

That answers my previous thought.

Katniss's four hours with Haymitch haven't gone well. She's eating in her room during dinner. We all eat in silence, not having much to talk about. I'm kind of dozing off when walking back to my room. I have so much on my mind; the presentations, then the Hunger Games. How long will it last this year? A few days, week's maybe? What will the terrain be like? Lush green forest, desert, maybe a barren mountain? Weapons? Weather? Competition? Food?

Another thought passes through my mind; Katniss. I've noticed that she's been popping up in my mind more often now. It's from all this time we've been with each other, and it's starting to get to me. Hell, I even see her in my dreams. I'm starting to grow on her as well, or at least I think I see her sneaking glances at me during the day, and she even asked me to help her with hand-to-hand combat for the three days we were training.

* * *

**Flashback: Few Days Ago**

After the first day of training, Katniss and I headed back to our district floor. We were both exhausted from todays activates and in desperate need for a showers, mostly from the clay, berries, and mud all over our bodies. We reach our floor, and the elevator doors slide open to reveal Haymitch and Effie, waiting for us. They give us a questioning look at our appearance.

"What happened to you two?" Haymitch asks.

"Camouflage got kind of out of hand." Katniss replies.

We walk past them. They have more questions for us, but as I said before, I need a shower. I jump into the shower once I reach my room, and leave my cloths in front of the bathroom door. I take a quick shower. I just throw on a simple black t-shirt and sweats afterwards, and decided to go out on the roof of the building. Being that I took a shower and it's very windy, it'll cool me down. I opened the door, and found Katniss with her hand raised in a fist. She was going to knock on my door apparently.

"Hey Katniss. What's up?" I ask in somewhat of a cautious voice.

She puts her hand down. "Hey Alto. Um, I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"And that is?"

"I…Um…Uh." She was stumbling on her next words.

"Come on Katniss, spit it out."

"Uh… will you train me?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Repeat please?"

"Will you help me with training? I want to learn hand-to-hand combat, and your very experienced with it, being that you fight bears, so why not you to teach me? I know it was stupid to ask-"

I cut her off. "No, no, I'll help you."

Katniss shakes her head in what looks to me as disbelief. "Y-you will?"

"Yeah, why not?"She probably thinks I've gone crazy because we'll end up killing each other in the arena in a few days, and that I'm teaching her things that I excel in. But she asked for my help, so I'm going to help her.

"So, if you want to learn, we'll start right now on the roof." I say as I walk towards the stairs.

* * *

**End Flashback**

Ever since that conversation, I've been helping her with hand combat for the three days we trained at the training center. We would go through different locks, kicks, and punches. We ended up in some strange positions at some points, but we kept going, we actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Strange thing I saw was that at points, we would just tackle each other for the fun of it. That's one main reason we've grown on each other. Now I just can't seem to get her out of my thoughts.

Damn this is hurting my head. I run into something, not hard, but hard enough to jog me from my thoughts.

Well, actually, the red hair I take to the face jogs me.

"What the? Oh, sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

It's that Avox girl I had ran into. She turns to me and rubs her chest with her right hand, open palm.

'Sorry.' Is what she's saying. Its sign language she's using. This should tell you that I know what it looks like. Then my ears pick something; shattering glass. It's coming from Katniss's room.

The Avox girl can hear it too, and we both walk to the door. We open it to find Katniss surrounded by broken plates from the ridicules amount of food she ordered, also on the floor. It almost looks like a hurricane passed by, because the plates are all over her room, and I mean all over. The Avox's eyes widen, and I raise an eyebrow at the scene before us.

"Just leave it!" Katniss yells. "Just leave it alone!" Instead of leaving, the Avox girl and I walk in and close the door behind us. She goes to the bathroom.

"Katniss?" I ask.

She doesn't respond to me, simply stares blankly at the wall across from her. The Avox girl comes out of the bathroom with a damp cloth and starts gently wiping Katniss's face and bloody hands. It's silent for a few minutes while the Avox is doing that as I'm picking up the broken plates and food.

Katniss breaks the silence when she whispers. "I should have tried to save you."

The Avox girl shakes her head.

"No, it was wrong."

The Avox taps her lips with her fingers then points to Katniss's chest. She's probably saying that Katniss would have been turned into an Avox, or maybe killed.

All of us spend half an hour picking up the room. When everything is thrown away, the Avox folds back the covers on the bed, and Katniss crawls onto it like a five-year old, and lets the Avox tuck her in. Then, both the Avox and I exit the room. I'm making my way to my room; I notice that the Avox is still following me. Even when I get inside of my room, she's still following me. As I take of my shirt, the Avox peels back the covers of my bed. She takes the shirt from my hands and makes for the door. I watch her till the door closes behind her.

'She seemed to be in a hurry.'

I fall asleep relatively quickly, and wake up early so I could talk to Haymitch. The way Katniss was acting last night was a result of her session with him, and that wasn't very good. Something must be wrong for her to act like that. Haymitch is in the sitting room, looking like he was thinking of something real hard, with his face contorted in a strange way and all.

"Haymitch?"

"You want to help Katniss in her interviews right?" He asks.

My eyes widen, and I can't respond. How did he know that's what I wanted to do? Can he read minds or something?The hell?

"Yes." I reply quietly.

"Huh, I thought as much. That would be the only reason you'd be here." He motions to the chair in front of him, and I take a seat.

"So lets make this quick; how do you think you can help her?"

"I was sort of hoping that you could help me figure that out."

"Sorry, can't help you there. I tried that yesterday and couldn't help her."

I rub my chin. "So what is it that makes her…difficult?"

"It's her personality, she can be sudden and hostile almost all the time when in the presences of Capital people. I tried other thing too; her being humble, cocky, ferocity, witty, funny, sexy, and mysterious. She's none of those things. I just told her to answer the questions and try not to let the crowd know how much she despises them." He says in a sad tone.

I take in the things he's told me, trying to formulate something that I could use to help Katniss. Haymitch then asks. "Why are you trying so hard to help her?"

That catches me off guard, and I don't know how to respond to that. Why am I trying so hard to help her? Why do I want her to get the sponsors? I guess that it's because she has grown on me. I try to cheer her up when she's down, I'm generally happy when she is, and, in my eyes, we both seem to enjoy each others company. And with those thoughts now running through my head, I noticed how my feeling for her has changed. Back in twelve, it was more of a 'small crush', it was something that I would of liked, but never really went for. Now, with us spending more time with each other, with some strange, awkward, and at times what I could call, intimate moments, my feeling have grown, never like they would of grown back in twelve. Those times when it starts getting hard to breathe when she's near me. The way I love when her eyes burn with determination when I was training her. That's when it hits me.

I…I love her.

What else can it be? Can any of you honestly tell me what else it could be? I didn't even know that you could fall for someone this hard in such a short time.

Wait…that's it.

That's it!

"I have an idea, though I don't know if she'll like it." I say after minutes of silence.

"What do you have in mind?"

"What if I publicly announce that I love her?"

Silence.

It's awhile before he can respond. "Do you love her?" He asks, and it sounds as if he already knows the answer.

"Yes." I say without hesitation. Again, there is silence.

"Okay. We'll go on that, but you can't admit it until the end of your interview, alright?" I nod.

My prep-team barges into the room.

"We've been looking all over for you! Come, come, and hurry!" They all say in union. They usher me to who knows where, and they start working on me. They don't have much to do. They don't put much makeup on my face, just enough to cover some of the faded scars on my face. They put something in my hair and slick it back, which I don't like, and I have to fight the urge to mess with my hair. After that short time, Portia enters, my outfit slung over her arm. She helps me into the black button up shirt, and the nice shoes. Then she adds a jacket with flame accents on the collar and around the buttons.

"So you know what you're going to do for your interviews?" She asks while she straightens my cloths.

"Just act like myself." When we're finished, we head for the elevator, and meet Cinna and Katniss there. Her skin to glowing satin, stenciling patterns on her arms and her nails have been painted as well. Strands of red into a pattern that falls in one braid down her right shoulder. Her features are back out. And to finish it off, they throw in a powder that makes her shimmer in gold dust. I. personally don't like it, but that's probably because I've known her without all that stuff on, but I give her a smile no less.

"You look as radiant as the sun today." I say.

"Thank you." She replies quietly.

She's overcome with stage fright.

When we reach the first floor of the training center, all the other tributes are being lined up. We'll be sitting in a huge arc though the interviews. I'll be last, this time the girls go first. I just hope that they'll pay enough attention when I come up, again, being that I'm last.

Caesar Flickerman, who has been hosting the interviews for forty years, literally bounces to the stage once we take our seats. He kind of scares me truthfully, being that his appearance hasn't changed at all in those years, except for hair color. Last year, I thought he was bleeding when his hair and eyelids were crimson. He warms up the crowd with a few jokes, but then he gets to business.

I don't pay much attention to most of the interviews, though I do for eleven, when Rue goes up. She's wearing gossamer gown complete with wings, and flutters her way to Caesar. When he asks what her most valuable asset will be in the arena, she doesn't hesitate

"I'm very hard to catch," she says in a tremulous voice. "And if they can't catch me, they can't kill me. So don't count me out."

"I wouldn't in a million years," says Caesar encouragingly.

Katniss is up after Thresh finishes his interview, and I can tell that she's nervous. But she makes it through the interviews, and the crowd seems to love her. Then I'm up. We shake hands and I take my seat.

"How has your stay in the Capital been for you, Alto?"

"I have to say it's been amazing. I think my favorite thing about here is the food."

"I could imagine." Caesar replies, and the crowed murmurs in agreement.

"Anything interesting happen to you during your stay?"

"The showers were interesting." I reply instantly.

"The showers?"

"Oh yes, the showers. No matter how many times I've used them, they still confuse me. Today for instance, I decided to try new buttons and nearly flooded the entire building. Some red glop covered me head to toe. Tell me, do I still smell like roses?"I ask with a smile, holding out my sleeve to Caesar. He takes a whiff.

"You do." He laughs. "I still have problems with mine, but I usually favor this sent."He holds out his arm for me to smell.

"Is that mint?" He nods. "You must tell me what button that is." We both start cracking up, as does the crowed. When the laughter subsides, I sit back down.

"So Alto, do you have a girl waiting back at district twelve for you?"

'Oh hell. Well, her it goes.'

I shake my head.

"Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" says Caesar.

I give a sigh. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her for awhile, but I'm pretty sure she didn't pay me much attention until the reaping." Sounds of sympathy from the crowd. That's something the Capital can actually relate to.

"She have another fellow?" asks Caesar.

"No, or I don't know, but I know a lot of guys want her." I say.

"So, here's what you do; you win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?" says Caesar encouragingly.

"No, that's not going to work out. Winning . . . won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?" says Caesar, mystified.

I can feel myself heat up by hundreds of degrees, and I stammer out. "Because . . . because . . . she came here with me."

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**Please tell me how I did. I think that I might of rushed it.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Don't own Hunger Games. (Just got'a keep putting that up) Please Review.**

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**Alto POV**

The cameras hold on my downcast as they let what I say sink in. They then switch to Katniss's face, which shows confusion and surprise. She presses her lips together and stares at the floor.

"Oh, that is a piece of bad luck," says Caesar, with a real edge of pain in his voice. The crowd is murmuring in agreement, a few have even given agonized cries.

"You're telling me." I say.

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young lady. She didn't know?"

"Not until now."

I take a quick glance at the screen and see Katniss's face with a heavy hue of red on it.

"Wouldn't you love to pull her back out here and get a response?" Caesar asks the audience. The crowd screams assent.

"Sadly, rules are rules, and Katniss Everdeen's time has been spent. Well, best of luck to you, Alto Hayes, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours."

I nearly lose my hearing when the crowd cheers; I've completely wiped everyone else of the map because of my confession. When the crowed quiets down enough, I chock out a"Thank you." and return to my seat. We rise when the Anthem plays and start marching off stage. Again, my eyes flicker to the screens; Katniss and I are dominating them. We make our way to the cars, and it's a silent ride back to the Training Center. When we get to our destination, the elevator takes the other tributes before us. Katniss and I are alone now on the twelfth floor, and when I turn to her, she stares right back at me.

"How…why? This-this must be a joke or something."

"No, I meant everything I said."

"Y-you did?" I nod. She stares at me intensely, trying to read my face for anything that would give away that I was lying or telling the truth. Her face softens after awhile.

"But you never really liked me."

"What are you talking about? For the few days we've been here, there have been indications that I like you." I reply with a smile.

Katniss takes a step towards me. "Alto-"

The elevator door opens abruptly to reveal Effie, Haymitch, Cinna, and Portia. Effie's the first to speak.

"Did we interrupt anything?"

"No, nothing important."

I say quickly. Haymitch is next to speak. "Come on, let's eat." We eat a cream and rose-petal soup for dinner and it's generally quiet when we eat, though Haymitch will start some conversations with the stylist. After, we watch the replay in the sitting room. Katniss seem frilly and shallow, twirling and giggling in her dress; although the others assure her that she's charming. It's obvious that I'm also charming, though much more sp then Katniss, with me confessing my love for her and all. When the screen goes black, a hush falls over the room. Tomorrow at dawn, the Games begin, though not until ten. Haymitch and Effie will not be joining us on our way to the arena. They'll be at the Games Headquarters, hopefully madly signing up our sponsors, so final good-byes must be exchanged here.

Effie takes both of us by the hand and, with actual tears in her eyes, wishes us well, thanks us for being the best tributes it has ever been her privilege to sponsor, and then, because it's Effie and she's apparently required by law to say something awful, she adds "I wouldn't be at all surprised if I finally get promoted to a decent district next year!" She kisses us both on the cheek and hurries out. Haymitch comes up to us with his arms crossed.

"So, any final words of advice?" I ask.

"When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. I don't want either of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water." he says. "Got it?"

"And after that?" Katniss asks.

"Stay alive." It's the same advice he gave us on the train, but he isn't drunk or laughing this time, and I'm not pissed like last time either. We simply nod; what else is their too say?

Both Katniss and I head for our rooms; sleep now would be a smart thing to do right now. My covers are drawn back, so the Avox girl was recently here. I kind of wish I had asked what her name was. I wash my face of the thin layer of makeup the prep team put on me, and I run my hands though my hair until it's back to original state. I put on a white T-shirt and sweats and throw myself on my bed. It doesn't take long for me to figure out that I won't fall asleep; I have too many thing running amuck though my head. After what I think is three hours, I can't stay it the bed anymore. I end up walking to the roof, looking down at the festivities below me. I'm up there for another few hours, sometimes thinking of the arena, or just dozing off. Then I hear soft footsteps behind me. I already know who it is.

"You should be getting some sleep." I say quietly.

The footsteps stop for a moment, and then pick up again.

"I needed some air."Katniss answers as she makes her way to the rail on my left. She looks down at the base of the building.

"Are they wearing costumes?"

"Who knows, they could be wearing the same thing they always wear, that would be enough." There's more silence before she asks.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

"Yeah."

…

"Did you mean it?" Katniss asks.

"Mean what?"

"That you loved me?"

I turn to her. "You already asked me that."

"I know."

I nod. "Yes, I meant every word." Why is she asking me again?

We turn back to stare down at the festival. Silence returns for awhile before I say.

"Maybe we should try getting to bed, we have a long day tomorrow."

"That's going to be hard for me." She replies. She turns to me again. "I know this sounds weird, but…" She pauses.

"Yes?"

"Um, can I... sleep... with you?"

My body tenses, my eyes widen, and my pupils must have shrunk.

"What?" I say, trying to keep my voice calm and leveled.

"I know we have to kill each other in the arena, but we need sleep, and I don't think you enjoy sleeping here alone."

You're right." I agree.

"We just need to be in the same room, not the same bed. It would be calming for both of us; we're going though the same thing."

"Alright Katniss, if that's what you want." She nods to me.

"Thank you."

We make our way to my room and once we're in, I'm kind of lost. I wasn't really excepting her to ask me to do something like this.

"Is it alright if I take off my shirt?" I ask her cautiously. She nods. I take of my shirt, and can feel my face heat up.

She gasps slightly and then asks. "Where did you get that scar from?"

"When I was ten, an old man caught me trying to steal some food from his market and he nearly beat me to death. He left me with this to remember him by." I point at my chest.

"You want me to sleep on the floor or-"

"No, no, we can both sleep on the bed." She says. We both slip into the bed, and at first it's quite awkward, we lay there, our bodies tense. Then I notice the bed shaking slightly.

"Are you cold?" I ask Katniss.

"Y-yes. Did you put the air on o-our something-g?" She asks, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

"Yes."

"You're c-crazy." I give a small laugh and open my arms.

"Come here." She doesn't move at first, but give in to the cold and moves into my arms, resting her head on my shoulder and drapes her left arm on my chest. For some reason, I don't feel as embarrassed as I was now that she's right next to me.

"Wow, you're like a heater." She whispers, giving a small laugh of her own.

"Everyone seems to tell me that."

We lay there, trying to fall asleep. I keep running scenarios through my head. I turn my head to Katniss, who's staring at me, though it's not at my face.

She's staring at my chest.

She seems fixated on my scar, scanning it up and down with her eyes. Then she does something that nearly drives me crazy. She brings her hand to the top of my scar, my upper right shoulder, and with two fingers, traces my scar all the way down to my lower left torso.

My body shakes at the contact, and I let out a shuddered breath. She retracts her hands.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know it was sensitive."

"I-it's okay."

She takes a deep breath, and falls asleep immediately. I shake my head. 'That was quick. She must be more tired then I thought.'

My eyes take in her face, which is softer when she's asleep then when she's awake. I breathe, taking in her sent, remembering it.

'Wow, I have fallen head over heels for her.' Is the last thought that passes though my mind before I succumb to sleep. I wake to the sound of footsteps. I open one eye to see Katniss leaving the room, probably to go back to her room. I turn to the window to see that it's still dark. 'Few more minutes.' I drift back to sleep.

When I wake up earlier, Portia come to gather me. We head to the roof and seamlessly out of nowhere; a hovercraft appears and drops a ladder. I take hold of it and instantly, I'm it's if I'm frozen. There must be an electrical current so that the tributes won't fall. Once they pull me inside, a woman inserts a tracker in my forearm while I'm still frozen on the ladder. Afterwards, Portia is brought abroad, and an Avox boy directs us to a room were breakfast has been laid out.

I stuff myself, and drink water, even when I'm not thirsty. I don't know when I'll find another source of water, so I might as well try to prepare for that. I look out at the window when I'm done, and can see the view that birds can see, first it's the city, but then the terrain changes to the wilderness. About half an hour into the flight, the windows are blacked out, which tells me we're nearing the arena. The hovercraft lands, and Portia and I go back down the ladder, only this time , we enter the catacombs.

The Capital calls this the launch room, were else in the other districts its called the stockyard, where animals go before their slaughtered. I go to a chamber that I will prepare myself for the Games. I have to shower and brush my teeth, and then Portia receives a package for my cloths I will wear. Once I throw on my cloths, Portia shows me a jacket.

"I was able to pull a few strings, not much, but I was able to get you a better jacket." She says.

The jacket looks very thick, much thicker then the one I was suppose to wear. It's a dark gray hoodie jacket that falls to my thighs. Portia say that it was designed to keep you cool on hot days and warm on cold nights. She helps me put it on.

"Does everything feel alright?" She asks. I move my body, swinging my arms and throwing a few kicks.

"Yes, everything's fine."

"Nothing to do now but wait."

We take a seat on the couch, but I can't keep still, and after half a minute, start pacing the room. I knew I was nervous, but now, hell, I feel myself shaking. I didn't think it would get to me this badly. Maybe I'm not prepared for this. After a few minutes; a female voice tells us that it's time to prepare for launch. Portia and I walk over to a metal plate.

"Just remember what Haymitch told you." Portia reminds me.

"Stay alive."

"And everything else."

"Right. Thank you Portia, for everything."

"You don't need to thank me." She tells me, taking my hand. "Just try getting out alive."

"I will." I reassure her, giving her hand a small squeeze. A glass cylinder lowers and cuts of Portia and I. We stare at each other as the platform lifts me up, and before I lose sight of her, I flash a quick smirk. Then I'm engulfed in fifteen seconds of darkness. Then the metal plate pushes out of the cylinder I'm in. I'm dazed by the light, and greeted by the smell of pine trees and the strong wind in my face.

Claudius Templesmith, the legendary announcer, voice booms all around me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games **begin**!"


	10. Chapter 10

**1,000 views! How awesome is that? I have to say, thank all of you soo much for reading my story. It's people like you that keep me righting. Again, thank you.**

** First try at an action scene, so tell me how I did. Also, I wasn't able to think of much in terms of events of Alto's first say, so it may appear bland at first.**

**Don't own Hunger Games. **

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**Alto POV**

'59,58,57,56,55…' I keep counting in my head. I need the advantage of a first start. As I count silently, I glance around, taking in everything. Cornucopia, a giant golden horn shaped like a cone with a curved tail, the mouth of which is at least twenty feet high, spilling over with the things that will give us life here in the arena. Food, containers of water, weapons, medicine, garments, fire starters. Strewn around the Cornucopia are other supplies, their value decreasing the farther they are from the horn. We're on a flat, open stretch of ground; plain of hard-packed dirt. Behind the tributes across from me, I can see nothing, indicating either a steep downward slope or even cliff. To my right lies a lake. To my left and back, spars piney woods.

'When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. I don't want either of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water.' Haymitch's advice rings through my head. It would be the smartest thing to do, but everything in front of me looks so tempting. That's why I'm going for the weapons first. I know it goes against what Haymitch told me, but I need a damn weapon. I can see a throwing knife bandolier of 15 knifes. I keep looking at the pile, taking in everything, spears, knifes, swords, bow.

Wait…

Bow.

I turn to my left and five tributes down is Katniss, eyeing the bow. Oh god. I can't get her attention, I'd rather not yell to give it away. Thankfully, she turns to me. I shake my head and mouth the word 'no'. She seems confused, it probably has to do with the sun behind me, but I can't make sure that she knows. I turn forwarded.

'5...4...3..2..1'

I push myself forwarded off the metal plate. At that point, everything slowed to a crawl for me. I knew if I got the timing wrong, even by a millisecond, the mine in front of me would blow my legs off. I'd be dead, just like that. As my foot hit the ground, the gong sounds, and my leg was still attached to my body.

I was smart about keeping track of the time; the push I gave myself at the last second gives me a huge head start, I'm half way their when the other tributes are maybe ten to twelve yards behind me. I grab a canteen of water on my way to the weapons. I reach them first, obviously, and reach down, grabbing as much as my arms can carry as I run past it. I don't pay much attention to what I grab; anything that has a strap or is a belt is quickly thrown on my body, which is everything.

When I'm ten yards away from the pile, I turn to the Cornucopia, where Katniss is making a mad dash for a bright orange backpack. A boy, district nine, is racing her for the same pack.

'Oh no you don't.' I quickly take two knifes from my bandolier and flick my wrist at the pack where I predict the boy will be.

I don't see if they hit because my instincts say there's a presence behind me. I drop onto my knees, avoiding a spear that someone swung like a bat at my head. I quickly spin and throw a punch at his face, which connects. His hands reach for his face and he drops the spear, which I catch. I don't get to use it on the boy though, because he drops to the ground with a knife embedded in his back. I hear the sound of rushing air and move my head to the side; a knife flies by.

'Clove: Girl from two.' My mind says.

I can see her running at me with one hand full of knifes. She doesn't throw another one, just charges me. I charge to meet her, better to stay in close when she has knifes. With the spear, I have a farther reach. When we meet, I swing, and she jumps back to avoid it. She tries coming close, only to have to jump back again. We repeat this process for about a minute until Cato comes in with a sword on him and he swings at me. I bring the spear up to block, and stagger back when the sword makes contact.

'Maybe I should get out of here.'

I swing again, this time spinning to gain momentum, flinging his sword out wide, making him stagger back as well. At the end of the spin, I throw it at Clove, who was sitting on the sidelines waiting for an opening. She doesn't expect it. I wasn't aiming, so it only hits her side. She yells in pain as a spray of red erupts from where I hit her, and I take off to the direction Katniss went. Other tributes are still killing each other, but they ignore me as I run to the body of district nine boy. I grab the knifes out of his back as I run for the trees. I keep running for a good ten minutes until I stop to breath. Beads of sweat come off my face like a waterfall. I take the time to look at what I got.

I'm not injured, good. I have the bandolier of throwing knifes, fifteen in all, a yard long sword, the canteen that, to my surprise, was filled, and a knife that has the words 'U.S. Marines' on the nine inch blade.

Wonder what Marines were.

I start making my way through the forest once my breathing slows. The forest has a variety of trees, some I've seen, while others are completely foreign to me. I see animals scurry all around me, which is a good sign. In reality, this isn't half bad. The forest is like a second home to me, I've been in the forest back at twelve so often. It'll be easier to do things here, being that I'm use to this kind of terrain. Same for Katniss.

Oh, there it goes again, Katniss sneaking up in my thoughts. How is she doing in this? I know she's alive. Does that pack have what she needs? Is she injured? I hate having to worry.

Around late afternoon, the cannons start firing. The bloodbath at the Cornucopia just finished. They don't fire the canon until after the fighting subsides. The killing is happening so fast that they can't keep track. I pause, silently counting the shots.

'One…two…three…' until it reaches eleven. Eleven tributes are dead, thirteen left. I don't take that into comfort, one of those kids are dead because of me. I never wanted to have to do this, but it's the only way. I continue walking through the trees, taking small sips from the canteen. I'm going to need to find a source of water; I will run out. There must be streams of rivers here, how else could the animals survive? It's getting darker, and my stomach's demanding food. There's plenty of bark, but I'd rather not eat that right now.

I clime a tree to a branch about ten feet above the ground, and wait. Animals will start walking closer if they don't know that I'm here. I'm up there for a good hour before I hear the rustling of leaves. I look down at a hare. I don't hesitate to throw a knife and kill it. I drop from the tree, get to the rabbit, and start skinning it.

"Sorry buddy," I tell it. "But I'm hungry."

Once I'm done with that task, I have another, which is cooking it. I don't want to make a fire. The smoke it'll create will attract the other tributes. Making a fire is basically the equivalent to painting a target on my chest and screaming 'Shoot me!'

'Didn't really think this out did I?'

So I'm out of luck for this. I tie the hare to my belt using some of the grasses on the ground as a rope. I keep walking, there's not much to do. That's when I notice that I'm moving down hill, into a valley. I'm wondering how I didn't see that before, but that was probably because I was so focuses on gaining as much distance between me and the other tributes, and that I didn't take in my surroundings as much as I needed to. I really hate valleys, I feel like a caged animal when in one. I'd rather not go in, but I don't have much of a choice. Besides, being that it is a valley, I may find a water source.

Unfortunately for me, I don't see a steep drop on the side of this small incline. When I reach the edge, the ground gives way, and I literally roll all the way down the valley, which is about thirty yards. You can imagine how sore I was at the end. What stopped me was a tree to the stomach. I lay their, clutching my stomach, groaning. It took awhile before the pain subsided enough for me to walk again. As you can see, not much of this is very interesting; it's just walking, rest, and then walk again. I continue this for a few hours before I decide to sleep. I can't say 'set up camp' because I don't have anything for a camp. I decide to camp is a tree. No tribute would look up a tree and expect to find another tribute in there, so they won't look.

I pick a tree that's not too high off the ground, just incase I have to make a run for it. It's to my luck that there is a trio of thick branches close to the trunk of the tree that could hold my body comfortably, and keep me in the tree if I roll during my sleep. Once I'm in a comfortable position, I throw on my hood and try to fall asleep, though I doubt it will come. I really have to thank Portia for this jacket; it's like a heat blanket.

Once nightfall hits, the anthem blears through out the arena, as it does a recap of the deaths. The Capital emblem appears to be floating in mid air. In reality, I'm watching on another screen, a big one that's transported by hovercraft. When the anthem finishes, the sky darkens. They show headshots of the tributes that were killed, along with their district number.

Let's see, girl from three, boy from four, boy from five, both from six and seven, boy from eight, both from nine, and the girl from ten. None from eleven of twelve.

After, the anthem plays again, while the Capital emblem floats above us. When the music stops, the darkness and sounds of the forest resume. I'm relived that Katniss is alive. Wonder what she's doing right now? My guess is probably doing the something that I'm doing, or trying to do. So who's still alive? Five careers, that girl that Katniss calls Foxface, Thresh and Rue…I'm amazed she's alive. I don't know the other three, but I'll worry about that later; I need some sleep. It comes after about an hour.

Snap!

What the? I slowly start waking up.

Snap! Snap!

The hell? How long have I been out?

Snap! Snap!

Wait, those are footsteps.

I then notice the hue of lights underneath me. I gaze down to see five career tributes, some with flashlights, and others with torches.

"You see anything?" Someone says. I think it's Clove.

"I can't see a damn thing." Says another voice. Cato I think.

I'm frozen in the tree, thinking of what I can do. I can't run; they'll see me. I can't attack either; I may have handled Cato and Clove, but that was for a short time, I won't survive five. All I can do is wait and hope that they don't look up here.

"Hm, They couldn't have gone far from here, they had to stop and rest every once and a while."

"We need to get moving." urges Clove.

"Calm down Clove, I understand you want to get back at Alto, but we don't need to be in a hurry. We'll get him eventually."

Oh god they're after me. A sense of dread and fear falls on me, and I feel my body temperature drop. The only words swimming around in my head are 'get back at Alto'. What would she do to me if she got a hold of me? A million different methods of torture that this girl can inflict on me come to my thoughts, and I shudder. My thoughts are temporarily pushed in the back of my head when my nose picks up a smell; smoke.

"Hey, you smell that?"

"Look, I see a light."

"I see it too."

"Only a dumbass makes a fire at night."

"Shut up and let's go."

They all run full speed straight ahead, and I silently listen to there footsteps until I can't hear. I let out a breath that I wasn't aware that I was holding. I look at the direction one of them pointed at, and I too see the light, which looks about the size of the stars we see in the sky, and smoke in the background of the forest and night, quite a ways out. You see? This is a good example of why I didn't make a fire. Basically says 'kill me'. I don't know why, but I want to follow them. I know it's not smart, but something in me wants to follow them. I could say there's a plus side to it. Once they clear out, the fire's bound to be there, I doubt they would bother putting out. I still have the hare from earlier, so I can use the fire to cook it, and other tributes won't pay the fire any heed. There's a risk that I could be wrong or that the careers catch me, but I'll risk it.

I clime down the tree quietly but quickly, and once down, I make my way to the fire. I'm move at a slow jog, I don't think the careers will hear me, they'll be to busy with who ever made that fire. It's not long before I catch them in my line of sight again. I try to make sure that I stay at least fifty feet behind them, so they don't hear me. We stay like that for awhile, so long that dawn's approaching over the hills of this valley. They break into a run, and I do the same. In a few minutes, they reach the fire.

I linger behind a huge pair of bushes that's a few meters from where they came out of. I can't see anything, but I know that it's a girl they found, from her pleading, and the agonized screams that follow. Theirs laughter and congratulations. Then someone shouts, "Twelve down and eleven to go!" which gets a round of hoots from the rest. They check the girls for supplies, but from their words, they didn't find much of anything.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato.

There are murmurs of agreement and they start moving. I peek through the bushes, and they're making their way away from me. A thought hits me. 'Isn't the cannon suppose to fire about now?' They don't seem to notice. Curiosity getting the better of me, I sneak to where the girl must have been.

I find the girl sprawled out, her face in the dirt, her cloths soaked in blood. She's still alive, regardless of the injuries she has. She actually has the energy to turn to me. Her eyes widen at the sight of me and, weakly, she attempts to crawl away, leaving a red trail behind her. I watch her for a few second before I run to her. She decides it's useless to try getting away and stops. When I reach her, I kneel next to her and she flips herself over to look at me. I get a clear view of what they did to her, she has multiple wounds in her lower torso, and a huge one the size of two of my fists where her lung is. I take in her face; she's gritting her teeth, no doubt it's for the pain. Her eyes show fear, but not for me.

It's for death.

She looks at me, and her eyes are screaming 'Help me'. But I know I can't, and even though I know nothing about this girl, I want to help her.

"Shouldn't we have heard the cannon by now?"

"I'd say yes; nothing to prevent them from going in immediately."

"Unless she isn't dead."

"She's dead. I stuck her myself."

"Then where's the cannon?"

"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done."

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice."

"I said she's dead!"

They'll be on me if I don't think fast. I know if they kill her, they might make it painful, and I'd rather not that happen to this girl more so then she already is. I pull my knife from my belt.

"It would be mercy at this point." I whisper.

She simply nods, tears leaking from her eyes. I position the knife just above her heart, and drive it in. She gasps and her eyes widen. A few moments later, her eyes lose their color, and she lets out her last breath. The cannon fires. I turn my head slightly to listen for footsteps approaching, but I hear them going the opposite direction. I turn back at the girl, and just stare at her. With my right hand, I reach for her face, and close her eyes. I close my eyes soon after.

"Almighty God, you love everything you have made and judge us with infinite mercy and justice. We rejoice in your promises of pardon, joy and peace to all those who love you. In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life, and the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven; through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who died, rose again, and lives for evermore. Amen."

I open my eyes again, then stand and walk away. The hovercraft will come and collect her body, after which I'll use the still burning coals to cook the rabbit. I lean on a tree while I wait. The birds will tell me when they come; they usually start freaking out before. I hear rusting in the trees, and I look up lazily. To my surprise, it's a package on a little parachute. I retrieve it. It's basically a box that says twelve on it. It's relatively short, maybe two feet long. I open, it wondering what Haymitch could have possibly sent me. My eyes widen, and I let out a gasp. My mouth hangs open as I take in what I have in my hands.

A tomahawk.

I'm still looking at it, my mouth still agape for a few more seconds, before it closes and a smirk takes its place.

"Thank you Haymitch." I spin it in my hand, and the weight is just like the one I used back in twelve. I give a small laugh, and put it in my sword belt, which just so happened to have a slot for holding weapons like this. Now I have to thank Haymitch, he just gave me a huge advantage with this. The hovercraft picks up the girls remains while this is happening. Once the hovercraft leaves, I go back to the camping site the girl had set up, and find the coals she used to make the fire, still burning. I gather some dried branches and set it atop the coals. I set the rabbit next to the fire, and wait, dozing off. I shouldn't be doing this, but I can't really help it.

How's the Capital's reaction to my little prayer to that one girl? I probably made a majority cry with how everything was. In the districts? Maybe the same thing, especially with the girl's parents. I have to make a point to them that I'm sorry for their loss, on the tours that the victors. Wow, listen to me; I'm already saying that I'm going to win. Aren't I the cocky one? Heh, heh. I guess it's good though, you know to keep my moral up and all. Have to find a bright side to all this.

Something bumps into me, enough to jog me from my thoughts. It's big, and about human size. I laterally throw myself backwards a few feet, drawing my knife and now acquired tomahawk as I quickly right myself to face my opponent. She has her back to me. I can tell it's a girl by her stature. What really catches my eye is her hair, braided in a single pony tail just like…

Katniss.

She turn to me slowly, expecting to be killed in an instant does that to ya. When she does turn all the way around, my assumption is right. It is Katniss. Her eyes are wide with surprise upon the sight of me, and as for me, I was kind of expecting this when I saw her hair. We stare each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move. I do, inching forward to my still cooking rabbit, eyeing Katniss for any movement that may indicate she would attack me. I'm able to grab the stick that I ran though it, and slowly back away. We continue the staring contest until there's about two meters between us, and a take off running in the opposite direction that the careers went. I don't look back to see her reaction.

I don't run for a long time, maybe a minute at most before I stop. I suspect that she wanted to use the fire to cook something she caught, basically what I did. Still, she scared the hell out of me just sneaking up on me like that, though I don't think she was sneaking. She wasn't paying attention to much when she rammed into me. And her back was facing me, which more or less proves my point.

I learned a lesson today;** ALWAYS** pay attention to your surroundings. So, I continue my way down into the valley. Not much happens for the rest of the day, only thing is that I must fine water, I only have a quarter of the canteen filled. When night falls, I pull the same thing I did the night before; find a tree that have branches that can support me and keep me from rolling out. Once night falls, the anthem play and the girl I had to finish off is up their, district eight.

I don't know why, but something tells me I won't sleep so well tonight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Another chapter the very next day. This one was much shorter then my other ones.**

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please review. **

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**Alto POV**

Oh god, my head.

What a way to wake up. I slowly open my eyes, pushing myself up and grabbing my head. Dehydration, that's what it is. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but that's because I actually had water with me it the first place. I decide to just down the rest; I didn't have much it anyway.

'First on to do list; find water.'

I stay in the tree for another half hour, finishing off the cooked rabbit from yesterday, before jumping down and making my way the steady down hill slope. It doesn't seem to stop; I've been going deeper into this valley every single day, when does it end? Maybe there's a sink hole in the middle of it, I don't know, but it's starting to annoy me. I give an irritated growl. I try thinking of something else to take my mind of this. How's everyone at twelve? They'd be at school right now if I have the correct time. They'd get updates on what's going on, though so far, the games seem to be proceeding slowly. But then again, all the games were like that. Damn. I hate this. Hate this so very much. I could be doing other things beside this. But, as I said earlier, I volunteered for a reason. I keep walking; dryness in my throat has made it apparent that I need to find water. Only thing is that wrong is that I can't find any. There's no animal tracks to follow, no plants that indicate that water is near, and this valley goes on forever it seems. By mid afternoon, I've finally made it to the bottom of the valley, maybe now, I'll be able to find drinking water.

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**Few Hours Later**

"Damn it! Where the hell is the water?"

I had walked what felt like the entire valley, and couldn't find a single drop of water. The throbbing in my head hasn't stopped, my arms and legs are starting to hurt, I've had to take more brakes then I should. Aw, come on; where could it be?

What about Haymitch? Couldn't he send some water? It's been obvious that I need it, but he hasn't sent anything else after the tomahawk. He's holding back, I know that. We have plenty of sponsors; Katniss and I. The tomahawk was proof enough. So why isn't he sending anything else my way? Hmm. I can't think of anything.

I walk deeper into the valley, and out of no where, start humming. I guess I'm so nervous and angry that my body is trying to take my mind off of it. It's a song I know well, one I learned when reading though some old history books that talked about North America, how it was before it fell apart. Apparently, the song was in a movie back then. I don't know its name, but I liked the song. It's a very short song, with only thirty-eight words. After awhile, the hum turns to words.

_Home is behind The world ahead_

_ And there are many paths to tread_

_ Through shadow_

_ To the edge of night_

_ Until the stars are all alight  
_

_Mist and shadow_

_ Cloud and shade_

_ All shall fade_

_ All shall... _

_fade_

I repeat the song about ten times before finishing. By now, evening is coming, evident by the cool breeze and darkness that's starting to fall in the arena.

Snap!

I stop, quickly scanning the area.

'Someone's here.'

I take a good minute looking for anything that might give away that someone was here or set something up while staying in the spot I stopped at. I don't see anything that would indicate a person was here. Maybe it was just an animal. I take a step forward. I find myself in the air upside down, hanging by my left leg a second later.

Oh shit.

I quickly grab my knife and start cutting at the wire that's holding me. I only need to go through once with the knife; the tension is enough to where I can go through easily. I drop painfully to the ground, just in time to see a knife fly above me. I quickly right myself, pulling my tomahawk out in front of me. It catches a sword wielded by a boy, don't know the district. He jumps back, slashing upward, while I jump back as well. Oh hell. Why now of all times? Maybe he heard my singing. Aw, who cares now? He charges me, stabbing at me, which I'm able to doge. He moves the sword upwards again, and I catch it with the tomahawk. I throw it out, while swinging with my knife. He catches my knife hand, and throws it away from himself, making me lose my grip with the knife. His sword is still being held by my tomahawk, and he spins it in a large circle, throwing it out of my hand, and it embeds itself into a tree. In two moves, this kid disarmed me.

Now he takes a quick swing at my head. I can't doge it, so I did what you never want to do. I lift my hands, and catch the sword mid flight to my head. I grind my teeth at the now present pain in my palms, with the blade digging into my hands and all. I raise my leg and give a solid kick to his stomach. He roles back along with the sword. I pull my own sword and charge him while he rights himself. I can't say he was prepared. Once he was standing straight, I slash down, giving him a wound that matched the scare on my chest. He yells in pain while stabbing at me. I hit his sword with my own down, which pushes his upper body down and, using the momentum, role over his back. I'm on my feet on his other side, and in one swift movement, drive it into his chest. He gives a grunt, but that's it.

I pull my sword free, and his body drops limply to the ground.

The cannon fires.

I drop my sword, the pain in my hands finally getting to me. I take a look. There not as bad as I expected, frankly I'm surprised their still attached. A clean cut was made on both of my hands, and their bleeding profusely. I search him and the immediate area. I don't find anything on him, but I find a small backpack which holds bandages and another canteen which, fortunately for me, is full. I use the bandages for my hand, and take the canteen. If it's full, that means that there's a creek or river near by. Maybe that's why Haymitch didn't send me water. I was close to finding it. Now I don't hate him.

As much.

I gather my weapons, then make my way deeper into the valley, the direction that the boy charged me at. I don't go far, the fight was more tiring then I expected. So I find another tree, clime in it, and fall asleep almost immediately. I wake up to the sounds of feet underneath me. At first I'm confused, shaking my head to rid myself of the drowsiness. Then there's the smell; smoke. Then a roar, and the forest is as bright as day.

I turn behind me, to see a wall of fire towering over me.

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**If you guys are wondering, the song is called "All Shall Fade" **


	12. Chapter 12

**No one said ill of the fighting scenes, so I guess I'm doing okay, I think. **

**Don't own Hunger Games. Please review.**

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**Alto POV**

My first impulse is to jump and run, but I more or less fall from the tree before I right myself and take off. Everything around me seems to burst into flames; the trees, the bushes, even some birds that couldn't fly fast enough. Ash and embers are raining down on me. All I do is follow the animals that are trying to escape the flame; rabbits, deer, birds, hell, I even see cougars and wolves shoot past me. Their instincts are better then mine, so I trust their sense of direction. They're faster then I am, even when I'm getting through the foliage almost as easily as they are.

I always hated the heat, and the heat that's bearing down on me is no exception, but the smoke's even worse. I don't bother bringing my shirt up to cover my nose, just keep running. This wasn't a tribute fire gone wrong, or and accident. The fires height is unnatural, which marks it as human-made, machine-made. Gamemakers. So the audience wasn't satisfied with today. My fight with that one boy was the only one today. They're getting bored. So the Gamemakers make the fire to drive tributes together and fight.

Blood-thirsty bastards.

I jump over a burning log. Not high enough. I end up eating the ground. I quickly pick myself up and bolt, the flames now licking at my heels. My throat and nose start burning after a couple of minutes. Then my lungs feel as if their being roasted. Soon after, I want to stop breathing all together because of the searing pain it gives me. I finally stop next to a downed tree, and start dry heaving for the good part of twenty minutes. Nothing comes out.

I take a look around; the surrounding area looks jut like the forest that I was in before it was set ablaze.

Now, where the hell am I?

I just followed the animals. Well, it wasn't like I knew where I was to begin with anyway, so what's the difference?

Aw damn, I need to sit down. I down half of the canteen in a second. I'll have to be very careful now. Tributes are bound to be closer to me now because of that fire. I sit up and start walking opposite direction of the fire, when I hear a hiss. My first thought is that it's a snake. I jump back to avoid the lunge. Instead of a snake, a fire ball impacts the area I was just standing at.

"Come on!" I say aloud. As if the wall of fire wasn't enough, now they have to shoot fire at me. I wait for the next hiss before rolling, fire igniting the fallen tree behind me. I'm still in the middle of the roll when a third fire ball comes my way. I throw myself back with my hands, narrowly dodging it. This place must be rigged with flamethrowers. It's not from hovercraft; the angles are not extreme enough. Those damn Gamemakers enjoy this too much. I can't wait until I get my hands on them.

"Shit!" I yell out when a fire ball comes way too close to my head. Why did they have to make them so big? They're half my size for Christ sakes! Am I the only one going through this? Maybe the Gamemaker I took the wig off during the sessions is controlling the fire, and this his way of getting back at me. Hell of a way to go at it.

I don't need to think to dodge anymore. My body does it on its own when I hear the hiss, which means all the time. I'm not given a moments rest; once I dodge one, I have to dodge another. How long have I been at this? It feels like hours to me, though it's probably a few minutes.

For once, they stop with the fire. It just stops. By now, I'm exhausted, with sweat coming off of me in pints, and I'm starting my coughing fits again. I stand their, listening for anymore hissing. And I hear it, only a ten second rest.

I run, fire exploding behind me. I keep running, with fire erupting all around me; behind, in front, to my left, to my right. I don't know what compels me, but I start running up a tree, not climbing it, just running up the trunk. When I hear the hiss, I push myself off the trunk. The fire ignites the tree and I'm sailing through the air.

'Didn't think that would work.'

I'm still in the air when I see fire racing towards me. My eyes widen, I can't dodge it in the air, but I have to try. I throw my left arm back, turning my body to where my right side is facing the fire. It flies right above my chest.

I hit the ground painfully and start rolling on the ground, screaming my head off at the searing pain that on my chest, but the fire won't go out. I end up tearing off my shirt and throw it. I just lay there, on my stomach. I want to move, so to take the excess pain out of my chest, but it's too much, it's bombarding every nerve in my body, basically overloading my senses. I'm shaking like crazy on the ground. The Gamemakers could kill me right now, but they won't, otherwise they would have done it already. Ether there's another tribute close by, or they think I can still entertain the masses.

Oh god. Maybe when the Gamemakers saw Katniss and I during that parade on the first day, they planed this for us. I was on fire during the chariot ride. I was on fire right now, but it was diffidently more painful then the former. They're probably laughing their asses off right now.

Fuck um' all.

I stay down for who knows how long, before I have the energy and sense to pick myself up and start walking. The fire no longer pursues me, only the black smoke that billows from it. I can't see ten feet in front of me. I take hold of my tomahawk in my right while I clutch my chest with my left, just incase a tribute or dangerous animal tries to attack me. The pain in my chest hasn't faded; every time I inhale or exhale, the pain kicks in ten fold, and I have to stop every so often because of it. I'm so tired right now, I wish I could just drop right now and fall asleep, but I can't of course.

I'm so dead tired that I do drop, by tripping over a tree root. My hands land in something wet. I look up to see creek, about five feet wide. Just my luck, I was almost out of water. I fill both canteens, treat them, then start the task of rehydrating my body. I wash my face and hair of ash.

Burns. Burns. What about burns? They're common in twelve, though the worst burn I've had is…well, I actually haven't burned myself until today. I don't want to look at my chest, in fear of what I will see, but I have to. I move my jacket gingerly, as to not agitate the burn more.

It's not as bad as I thought it would be. It's a brilliant red covered in blisters, about the size of my head. I thought it would be black, or where I could see bone. I also take a look at my jacket. It's not damaged, which is a miracle, only patches of black soot cover it. I don't have a shirt anymore, I had to rip that off my body or suffer worse burns than the ones I have now. I'll have to deal with that, but I don't mind; with both the shirt and jacket, it was too hot for me.

After a few hours of downing water, I fill the canteens and continue walking. I'm able to kill another rabbit and eat it while walking. By mid-afternoon, I need sleep. I climb a tree and, even with the throbbing of my chest, I knock out once I get into a comfortable position.

I wake sometime during the evening to the sound of running.I look down just in time to catch a glimpse of the career pack underneath me. They're chasing someone, but I have no idea who. Once the sounds of their footsteps are no longer within ear shot, I fall back asleep. I have no energy to feed my curiosity.

Not right now anyway.

I wake later during the night. I don't know when light will come, but I decide that I should be moving now. Besides, I still have my curiosity to crave. I know that it gets me in some situations, but I can't help it; it's part of my nature.

I head in the general direction the careers went, not following the path that they made. I go around, maybe if I can sneak up on them I can kill one or two before I have take off. That would make things easier for me in the long run. So I go the long way, I guess you can call it. Not much happens in those few hours. Only eventful thing was filling my canteens again.

Day break is fast approaching; the sky starting turning a gray color. I need to pick up the pace if I want to take a few careers out. I go at a slow jog for a few minutes, before I hear a deep intake of air. I stop momentarily before I take small, cautious steps towards a bush. I peak through the other side, and ten feet in front of me lay the careers. They're all asleep. The one known as Glimmer was apparently suppose to keep watch, judging by her potation, but she's asleep too.

'This is too good to be true.'

I resist the urge to laugh. Glimmer's mistake is everyone's downfall. All I have to do is slit their throats, and I'll be over. With them out of the picture, it's a straight shot to being the victor. I'm grinning like crazy by now. I need to do it now though; red stripes are appearing in the sky. They'll wake soon.

I take out my knife, and just as I take my first step to them, something falls from the tree to the ground. It explodes on contact, and an angry hum can be heard.

'Tracker Jackers!' My mind screems. I jump back as they start attacking the careers, and run a few yards to another bush. I hear yelling and racing feet. "To the lake! To the lake." Wow, the lake must be close if they think they can outrun the trackers. I only know that their gone when their footsteps are no longer heard. Some how, the jackers don't come for me, and I get away with no stings at all. I doubt they'll come back, but I stay put because of some rustling that I hear. I can't see who it is, but they stop. I hear more rustling then struggling. The cannon fires once; apparently one tribute wasn't able to get away. I continue to hide in the bush, and the birds give a warning call, signaling that the hovercraft is fast approaching to pick up the dead. I hear what sounds like a struggle, hyperventilating, then several pairs of feet.

'What the hell's going on?' My question is answered when something slams into me. I'm pushed to my back, while the person who hit me falls above me.

What's with me being pushed over so often? I'm to much in an adrenaline rush, and I literally kick myself to my feet, taking the tomahawk out, and facing my opponent. My eyes widen when I catch a glimpse of who she is.

"Katniss? What the hell are you doing here?"

She doesn't respond.

I take her in; one of her pant legs has been ripped clean off to show red skin. Her knee, neck, and cheek have a nasty bump the size of plums. She's lost some weight, and her jacket only reaches right below her ribs. She's seen better days.

What really catches my eye is the bow and arrow she has in her hands. That's when it hits me. Glimmer had the bow before; I was able to get a good look at them before the nest fell. Now I know how the nest fell too; Katniss must have cut the branch that was holding it up. She was in that tree the pack was sleeping under. She was probably what they were chasing when I caught the glimpse of them the night before. So she cut the hive down. I have to say that's smart, even thought it could easily get her killed.

A sword brakes through the foliage I was using to conceal myself. I turn to meet Cato's gaze. He's soaking wet, and has a bad sting under his eye. At the very sight of me, he charges forward, swinging his sword, which I catch with the tomahawk.

"Go Katniss, Go!" I yell as I take a swing with my knife, only for Cato to parry it with his free hand. He sends a fist to my stomach, which connects. He hits hard; it feels like someone hit me with a club. He swings again with his sword, and this time it connects. A white hot pain runs through my body, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from yelling in pain. He takes another swing while I'm distracted by the pain, and reopens my six year old scar on my chest. This time I do yell, but it's short. He prepares to finish me with a stab to the chest.

'Not this time!'

I swing my tomahawk, parrying the sword, slash diagonally with my knife, and give him a nice big scar to match mine. He hiss's at that. I need to get away from him. He may be poisoned, but that doesn't seem to hinder his ability to fight. I raise a leg and kick at his shin. I connect, and hear a satisfying crack as he yells and falls back, I'd attack him again, but I don't know if his allies will be back. So I take off running as fast as I can with my lower leg opened. It's a lipped run. I keep looking back to see if anyone's following me multiple times within the few minutes I've ran. I'm too busy making sure no one's following me that I fail to see the small drop off that I fly over.

I fall ten feet down, landing on my back first. Then my head makes contact on something hard. Darkness consumes me.

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**Might be a little bit before next chapter, I'm going to visit family for two weeks.**

**So in advance: Happy Forth of July!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Don't own Hunger Games.**

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**Alto POV**

Oh, my damn head.

Aw…Ow…God.

I bring a hand to the back of my head, rubbing the huge gash that's there. I open my eyes, but quickly close them because of the blinding light. I open them again, more slowly this time to let my eyes adjust to the light. The sun is high in the sky.

How long have I been out? It's been more then a day; every part of my body's stiff. I sit myself up slowly, and take in my surroundings. I'm in s ditch of some sort, a deep one at that. It gets deeper if you keep walking to my right. It looks more like an underground cave with a huge opening on top. The hole itself is maybe fifty feet in width. Thank god I fell right hear, otherwise, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. I take in water, I may be a little dehydrated; one to two days lying on the ground will do that. Even through the stiffness, my chest and lower leg are throbbing. Not like they were before, but it still hurts to move.

I take in my chest. Now besides the burn, I have a slash that basically matches my scar. It's closed now with the dried blood. Then I take a look at my leg. I nearly lose the water I drank at the sight of it. I can see right through my leg. I can see blood vessels, muscle, and bone. It's a gash about six inches wide and starts right above my boots and ends nearly to my knee. I start taking deep breaths to calm myself down, because I'm starting to panic. I'm a much easier target now with an injury like this.

So, I don't know who else died that night when the trackers attacked the pack. I know Glimmer's dead; I could hear her screams. Cato's alive; these injuries are enough proof of that. Katniss, she's…I…don't know if she's alive. She was only stung three times; she may be out cold from the venom. But again, I don't know how long I've been out. Then again, the careers would be going through the same thing she's going through. They've been out for awhile, because I'm still alive. They would have hunted me down and found me, no doubt, if they were fine. So she's still alive, and now has a bow. That'll help her out a great deal in here. I allow myself to relax at the thought.

I stand after sitting in the ditch for an hour and, amazingly, am able to climb out, even with my messed up leg. Once out, I start moving opposite of what I was running that morning. I had made a path with me trying to get away from their, so I'm hopping that the careers are in some tracker jacker venom induced coma that normally comes with the sting. Before you start asking how I know this; I've been stung by trackers before back in twelve.

So I limp my way through the undergrowth. I manage to kill what looks like a wild turkey and find some berry bushes that are edible, and pack one of my pockets with them. I'm able to find a stream, and wash my face and bloody weapons, as well as replenish my water supply. I don't want to wash myself off because I could get my leg infected, though it might already be. Still I'd rather not take any chances. I decide that I'll stay here for the night. I can't travel far with these injuries; I have to stop much too often.

I decide to build a fire, but not until late afternoon; the haze that covers the sky at that time will conceal. So for the time being, I wander around gathering wood for the fire. Well, I can't call it gathering. There's lots of dead wood piled on the other side of the stream; all I do is bring it under the tree I'll be sleeping in.

Half an hour or so into it, I hear rustling in the trees. I look up to find a small girl leaping from branch to tree branch as if it was second nature. I chuckle slightly, so that's how Rues lived so long. She's small enough to where the branches won't break under her weight when she runs across them. I can do that, if it weren't for this leg. Even people my weight can jump tree to tree like Rue can, the key is moving fast enough. After staring at the direction she took to, I continue moving the pile of dead wood. By the time I finish, late afternoon has arrived, and I start building the fire. It's relatively easy. For a fire starter, I use my knife and scrape it quickly against a rock.

Once it's started, I get to work with the bird. Once I pluck the feathers off, I see its actual size. It looks about four to five pounds. Good, I need an actual meal. Only real piece of meat I've had was a rabbit, and that wasn't very satisfying. But that's just me and besides, I've gone much longer without meat, so why am I complaining?

I cook it and basically devour it, along with half of the barriers that are in my pocket. I put the fire out soon after. Now what's my next course of action? I have to do something about the careers, but what? I can't fight them, even in one-on-one combat. Maybe before, but I'm injured mind you, and it seems that with every passing hour, my leg starts hurting more and more. It's almost unbearable to walk right now. I'll think about that tomorrow. I decide it's time to turn in for the night, and I'm somehow able to get into a tree, though it takes awhile. I try sleeping; my body needs it, but I just can't. I can't figure out why. Maybe the pain? That's the only thing that I can think of. So for the entire night, its sleep for hour, wake and stay awake for two to three hours. I don't pay the anthem any attention.

Cannon fire wakes me from my sleep. It's already morning. I wait for another cannon but it never comes. Well, the time I used trying to sleep wasn't a huge waste. During the hours that I was awake, I was able to devise a simple plan. Careers may be strong, but that's because they're well feed. What happens when you take away their food? They don't know what it's like going hungry. I do. I've seen some Games where their food supply gets destroyed, and normally those are years where other districts win. I have to destroy their food. I have an idea that it's near the lake. So I need to start making my way there. I need this done now.

I roll off the tree, and start heading the opposite that I've been walking since the start of the games. When I get their, I need to see if they're any booby traps, then see if I can't take anything before I destroy it all. It takes a few hours before I get to the edge of the clearing close to the lake, much longer then it would normally take me.

I take in the situation. The supplies are in a neat pyramid away from what I can call their camp. Besides the pyramid, there are smaller supplies littered around it, mimicking the Cornucopia. The careers have just left, going into the forest opposite of me, towards smoke that looks like someone intentionally built a fire to bring them. Boy from one, both from two, and boy from three.

My question is why is three still alive?

He's not a career like the others, doesn't have the size or skills that they have. Hell, even with my injuries I could take him. So what would it be? Well, threes main export is electronics, but what good would that do here? What electronics would be… I think I know what they used him for. The only electronics in here besides the cameras are the mines that are in front of the metal plates we stand at the start of the games. If that's it, then they must have dug them up and buried them around the supplies, then three reactivated them. In other words, in order to get to the supplies, I have to literally tango with death. I'll have to get closer, which shouldn't be much of a problem.

I start towards the pile at a slow pace, crouching slightly. Before I get to the circle of supplies, I stop and kneel to survey the ground. I can see where they buried the mines by the up heaved ground. I also take in the supplies around the pyramid. I'll need a backpack to carry as much supplies with me. After a moment, I start taking small hops and steps around the mines, which sends more pain up my messed up leg. I give grunts when I jump. I'm able to pick up a black backpack while on my way through the mine field. At one point, I have to leap over a few. I land correctly, but I still have too much momentum and I fall forward.

"Damn it!" I yell in a strained voice as my hand lands on top of one of the mines. I quickly retract my hand. Nothing happens. I give a sigh and continue my way until I reach the supplies. Once at the bulk of everything, I start stuffing as much as possible into the pack. I grab apples, crackers, dried beef, a first aid kit, and other necessities. Once filled, I throw my backpack on and stare at the ground again. I spot one of the mines, one that's not buried as deep as the others. I take out the retractable shovel that I took and start digging up the mine. After a few minutes, I pull it free from the ground gently and slowly, as to not to set it off.

'Thank you Thelin.' I silently thank my district three friend as I deactivate the mine.

After, I carry it, lay it against the supply pyramid, reactivate it, and begin my way back out of the mine field, doing my little dance as I do it. When I get out of it, I'll throw a knife at it and set it off, destroying the supplies. The other mines are too close to each other, so one explosion would set them all off. I just need to get far away enough. I'm out of the field when I hear a noise, which sounds like someone's hitting a wooden box. I turn just in time to see an arrow flying towards the mine.

Time seems to slow. I'm not far enough; I could easily blow with everything else. My eyes trace the direction of the arrow behind it, and this is while everything goes slow mo for me. I finally get to its launch point, which is in a tree branch that's covered. I'm just able to make out a pair of gray eyes and braided black hair. The arrows were enough to tell me who it was.

"Fuck."

A deafening roar is the first I register before fire consumes my vision and I'm blown backwards.


	14. Chapter 14

**Alto POV**

I'm thrown back by the blast and come to a stop quite a ways from the field. The impact of the ground knocks the wind out of me, and the backpack hurts my back even more. I hear a crunching noise come from it, and I can say that I smashed my crackers. The mines are still going off, shaking the ground. I can only go with the shaking, I'm deaf right now. I don't try to stand; otherwise I'd be thrown back down. I pull my hood over my face to protect it from burning, flying debris. I don't know how long it takes, but it's not long before the shaking subsides. I pull the hood away from my face and look forward. Those supplies don't exist anymore. I allow myself to smirk; Katniss may have almost killed me, but she did what I wanted to do. Now we have a chance to win this.

I better get out of here, that explosion is basically a bird call to the careers. I right myself, but start stumbling once I'm up. Well, it's obvious that I can't run now, but at least I can stand. I try to get to the tree line as fast as I can, stumbling and falling once on my way there. I jump into some thick foliage, face the field and wait. I can't run, otherwise the careers might hear me lumbering through the forest. That and again, I can't run. It's not long until they make it back, and Cato seems vivid. He's literally slamming his fists into the ground and pulling his hair. Three's throwing rocks at the ruins of the supplies and calls it all clear. They go in and try to find anything they can salvage, but they don't find anything. When Cato finishes his first stage of tantrums, he turns on three, yelling at the top of his lungs. Three panics and tries to take off, but Cato takes him into a headlock and he jerks his head to the side.

That's it for three.

The careers try calming him down, and it's obvious he wants to go back out, but the two careers keep pointing to the sky. I already know what they're thinking, and you probably know too, so I won't go further into that. They move to the far side of the lake and wait for the hovercraft to pick up three's remains. I don't recall hearing a cannon go off, but the ringing in my ears are blocking out any noise that I should hear.

The hovercraft takes threes body, and the sun falls below the horizon as it leaves. The careers look into the sky and I do the same, just in time to see the emblem fade and the faces of the dead to appear. Three's up there as well as… girl from four? But wasn't she supposed to be with the careers? Or maybe… maybe she was in that venom coma and the others left her, and she finally died today. That took awhile. I glance at the careers and they seem just as confused as I am. It's obvious that the bomber survived, though bombers would be more precise. Cato and Clove put their night glasses on and one lights a torch, and they take to the forest.

After a few minutes, as to make sure that I was out of ear shot of the careers, I try standing up. I do so easily and when I take a few steps, I can walk like normal. My ears are still ringing though. So I take careful steps out into the field so I can get back to my camp I had last night. Katniss took off already, I think. Or she could be here still, I don't know. I pass by the foliage that Katniss had be in before the explosions and don't bother checking of she's still here. If she is, she won't attack me and I won't attack her. By now with walking with an open wound in my leg, it's unbearable to walk. I want nothing more then to stop, or pull off my leg if possible, but I can't obviously. So I have to suck it up right now.

I don't get far, an't that a surprise. I didn't pay attention to where I was going, so I defeated the purpose to trying to find my way back. I can't climb a tree now, my legs too far gone to be useful for that kind of activity. I op to find some thick bushes and try falling asleep in them. I zip up my jacket and pull my hood over my head, before trying to drift off to sleep. So how many tributes? Eight tributes. Not many left, three careers, and five tributes from the poor districts. Wow, we've gotten far haven't we? Huh. It's gotten colder now, but the jacket makes it feel like nothing, that and my natural body heat helps too. Sleep eventually comes to me. The suns high in the sky when I do wake, so I take that as a sign that I need to start moving again, though it takes half an hour to get up and walk again.

The rest of the walk to my small camp is uneventful, and it doesn't take long to get there anyway. I was closer to it then I had thought. So more or less, I stay there for the rest of the day, trying to get a fish, but I fail to. I just munch on an apple and some of my smashed crackers. Not very exciting is it? But I'm not looking for trouble obviously. Maybe I can just wait everyone out, like Foxface is doing. That would be my best choice for me, with my leg and all. So I have to find a nice place to stay. This small river is nice, but other tributes need water when they can't get to the lake, so I need to find a secluded place to stay. For now though, I'll just stay here. I generally doze off in the bushes, drinking some water, then dozing off again. Something startles me latter on the day.

A scream.

Rues scream.

It's silent for a few seconds before I hear her screams again, and this time she shouts a name. "Katniss! Katniss!" Katniss? Then theirs another voice. "Rue! Rue, I'm coming!" That's Katniss's voice! That means they both formed an alliance. Rue was attacked by someone and Katniss is coming to try to save her. But who attacked? Maybe the careers? But that would be three against one! Damn it! I need to get there fast!

I jump to my feet, but fall right after. My leg can no longer support my weight. So once I right myself again, I hop on my one good leg, my right. The voices were small, but loud enough to were I could hear it, and judge the direction. I can't run very fast, and I'm not sure of the distance between me and the commotion. I know I can't get their very quickly, and by the time I get there, it may be over, with Katniss dead.

Dead.

Dead...

I just can't wrap my head around that. I can't bear to have that in my mind either. And that just doesn't seem possible. And that can't happen. It just can't! I pick up the pace, now using my messed up leg, but not putting much weight on it still, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

A cannon fires.

In that brief moment of broken concentration, I trip, and land face first into a small creek. I hear a voice right after. "Are there any more?" Katniss. Rue repeats "No!" several times before the yelling stops. Silence. ... What's going on? I pick myself up, and before I start, I hear Katniss's voice again. But this time she's singing. The song she sings is something I've heard before, though I've only heard it once. Despite the distance, I can hear the words clearly.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_  
_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_  
_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

It sounds as if Katniss's voice is echoing through the forest. The only noise you can hear is her voice, everything else is quite. Even the wind stop to listen.

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_  
_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_  
_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you._

_Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_  
_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_  
_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you_

Then it ends, and the noises of the forest return. The mockingjays start singing the song too. A cannon fires. Something in my gut tells me that the cannon wasn't for Katniss. I begin walking now, not in that much of a hurry anymore. It takes about a minute or two before I reach a clearing. Then I see the bodies. District one boy and Rue. One's throat looks like it took an arrow, so Katniss killed him. Rue's death can be easily explained with that spear embedded into her stomach. What really catches my eye is that she's surrounded by flowers, many flowers. She almost looks like she's sleeping if it weren't for the spear for blood.

"Rue..." Is the only word that comes out of my mouth. My body slackens as I stare at the girls body. Just looking at her like this is going to make me cry. And I'm not lying. I can feel my eyes starting to burn. My hand clenches into a fist shortly afterwards and my body tenses. Damn the Capital. I know the hovercraft needs to come, but I need to pay my respects. I make my way to Rue's body and once there, I kneel next to her.

"Almighty God, you love everything you have made and judge us with infinite mercy and justice. We rejoice in your promises of pardon, joy and peace to all those who love you. In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life, and the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven; through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who died, rose again, and lives for evermore. Amen."

I bring three fingers to my lips, then place them on Ruse's forehead. "Safe and at peace." I say quietly. I can't stop the single tear that drops from my face. I don't move out right after, I don't have the energy to move right now, and I can't staring at Rue's body.

'She was too young.' But the Capital doesn't care about that obviously. They only care about the blood shed. I wonder if they would still be in that happy mood of theirs if it were their kids out here. I stand after a few minutes and limp away with one thought in mind.

'I **will** change things.'

The hovercraft picks up Rue and one, not before the mockingjays give their warning calls. I can't get far with my leg and the running from before pushed me a bit. I don't think I'll be moving anywhere anytime soon. I find a big bush that has an opening inside of it with enough room for me to sleep in. I slip inside and lay there, dead tired, but I can't sleep. I never paid much attention to other tributes unless they trying to kill me, or in Katniss's case, letting live or protecting. But now, seeing Rue decorated in violet, yellow, and white, I actually feel very alone in here. Back in twelve, even when I was alone, I wasn't alone really. There were other people there, friendly people who would give me some food on my off days, even when they didn't have much for themselves. Here, everyone's trying to kill you, the. You have the animals to worry about, mutts, and the Gamemakers.

I just curl up into a ball and try to sleep, but I know it won't come. Nightfall, the anthem, then the faces of today's dead. One and Rue are up there. I lay there for awhile, not really thinking of anything, staring blankly at the tree across from me. Time passes way to fast. It seems like I blink and the suns already high in the sky. I only stretch periodically, eat, and drink. I don't move from my little resting place for the entire day. The only eventful thing is that I took a few short naps.

Night comes much too fast as well. Anthem again, but no faces today. Then trumpets are played. Now I pay attention. Normally there are announcement when the trumpets play. So what will be announced? Maybe the feast? Well, I'll find out. Claudius Templesmith's voice booms, congratulating the tributes who remain. Then there's something that shocks me. There's been a rule change. Rule change? I give all of my undivided attention to him. He tells us that both tributes from the same district can win this year. He's silent to let that sink in before repeating the message.

Two tributes can win this year.

Katniss and I can both live.

"Katniss..."

* * *

**I would of had this up last week, but my internet is down, and will be down for awhile. I'll try posting as every week like I normally do. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Two chapters for ya'.**

* * *

**Alto POV**

"Well, this is welcoming news." I say to myself. So, tributes from same district can win. That's good news for me. Really good news. With two people covering each other, we'd have more of an advantage, with me being handy with close range combat and Katniss good with long range combat. That and Katniss isn't as injured as I am, or at least I think she isn't.

So why the rule change?

Oh, wait, now I know. It's that star-crossed lover's thing I pulled at the presentations. Must be such a hit with the Capital that if one of us died, it would completely ruin the games. Now that I think about it, I kind of contributed to it more then I thought. I admitted that I love her. I… tried telling her not to go after the bow. We spared each other at eight girl's fire. I took on Cato to let Katniss get away. I've done quiet a bit without really think of it. It was just natural for me.

So who's left to really worry about? District two we still have to worry about, but besides that, not many. That girl Foxface doesn't seem like the one to attack. Thresh, he could still threaten us by himself, but I've only seen him once; at the beginning of the Games. God knows where he is now.

I'll wait for the morning to find Katniss, but should I look for her or wait for her to find me? I don't know where she is; she could be miles away from where I am. Hell, she could be at the opposite side of the arena. So my best bet would be to look for her.

I'm not sure if I fall asleep or not, because it feels like the night before; night at first, blink, daylight. I take in some water and before heading out, no food because I'm not really not hungry. I'm all cramped from lying down for two days.

Now where would she be?

Only thing I can think of would be near water. The temperature can easily change from freezing cold to burning hot. So I can either follow this creek next to my camp, or find another creek or river or whatever there is here. It may take a few days to find her though.

I give an annoyed sigh as I past the creek. During my walk, I spot smoke rising into the clear blue sky. It wouldn't surprise me that Katniss made that to distract the other tributes while she's looking for me. The fire also tells me that she's close, being that I can see it clearly. That's good. I wonder around the area, passing small creeks that only go for a few meters and ponds, wet and dry ones, but don't see any clues to Katniss's whereabouts. No tracks to follow, so I'm willing to bet she's walking through the water.

Damn.

"Oh where, oh where can my little Kat be? Oh where, oh where can she be?" I sing quietly to myself with a small smile on.

Bet you Katniss would kill me if she heard me singing this.

I start moving into a larger creek, or small river. The banks are covered in tangled wet plants on my right, but as you make your way to my left, rocks start to take there place. I'm in an area with rocks about my size and larger. It would be hell trying to fight someone in here. I walk around the area for a few minutes, still looking for anything, but find nothing.

'Wish she could make this easier.'

There's a sharp pain in my leg as I sideswipe a rock.

"Aw!"

The air in my lungs are forced out when something hits me in stomach. Then there's pressure and pain in my right shoulder and whatever hit me had enough inertia to force me on my back hard. I give a short grunt before a foot slams on my chest and my vision is filled with the tip of an arrow aimed between my eyes.

"Katniss! Katniss, its Alto!"

A few seconds of silence and a short stare down, I hear her gasp and the foot is lifted

"Alto?"

"Nice to see you too." I say as I sit up.

She kneels next to me. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else." She says as she grips the arrow in my shoulder.

"It's alright. But damn, you kick hard." I answer, wincing a little as she pulls.

"Are you injured anywhere besides the shoulder I shot?"

"Lower left leg and my chest."

She checks my chest first and raises an eyebrow. "Where's your shirt?"

"Had to ditch it when fire was being shot at me."

She doesn't say anything else as she carefully removes my jacket and takes in my chest. I'm not sure if she can do anything for the slash, but she puts some ointment on my burn. She starts rummaging through her pack and hands me some pills.

"Do I need these?" I ask cautiously.

"Yes. You're burning up."

"Really?" She nodes and I comply.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, not really."

"Come on." She says as she takes my arm and throws it over her shoulder. "I need to get you elevated so I can fix that leg." We start moving to a boulder at the bank of the stream.

I must have hit something very important when I sideswiped that rock, because it's unbearable to walk now. Every step I take brings a sharp hiss of pain, but we make it to the bank. Katniss gives me an apologetic look before handing me an apple, then getting to work on my leg. She carefully removes my boot and sock, then gently pushes my pant leg up so she can get a look. Her face takes on a horrified look before it goes back to calm.

"Bad, isn't it?"

"So-so." She shrugs like it's no big deal. "You should see some of the people they bring my mother from the mines."

"But you never stay to watch."

She looks at me. "Excuse me?"

"You never stay when they bring someone over to your mom. Some of the people she worked on are or were close friends of mine, I was with them, and I never saw you there."

She gives me a face that says 'drop it', which I do. She chews on some leaves and applies it to my leg, and after a few minutes, I feel something dripping down my leg, which I assume is puss. Katniss is starting to turn green.

"You alright Katniss?"

"I . . . I'm no good at this. I'm not my mother. I've no idea what I'm doing and I hate pus." She starts groaning as she washes the leaves off and applies a second. "Euh!" "Euuuh!"

"I would think you'd be past that since you hunt."

"Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this, although for all I know, I am killing you."

I chuckle slightly. "Mind speeding it up?"

She glares at me. "Shut up and finish your apple." She applies a third layer of the leaves after a few minutes and takes a good look at my leg. I have no idea how it looks now.

"Next Everdeen?"

"Don't start with me Hayes."

Maybe I should lay off her.

"Maybe I'll put some of the burn ointment on it. I think it helps with infection anyway. And wrap it up." And she does.

"I have to say, you're kind of squeamish. Wouldn't hunting have gotten you use to this? I mean, animals bleed, and I think blood is worse then puss"

"I'm not comfortable with a lot of things."

"Would washing Haymitch be one of them?"

Katniss wrinkles her nose at the thought. "What he send you so far?" She asks.

"This." I pull out the tomahawk.

"When?"

"Day after girl from eight died. What he send you?"

"Burn cream. And bread. I'm curious to how he had the funds to get you that."

"I'm just as curious as you are about this."

The conversation ends and Katniss tells me that we have to move, and frankly I agree with her. She takes off my boot and sock on my other foot so I can walk in the water. We start walking, but again, it's very difficult. We eventually stop so I can catch my breath, being that I'm holding it every step I take. Katniss said that I was burning up, and I think she's right. I don't feel too hot, but I'm sweating up a storm already, and I know not all of it is because of the difficult walk I had. Katniss spots a cave-like structure that we can use as shelter. She guides me to the cave once I catch my breath. Katniss covers the floor in pine needles, takes out her sleeping bag, and tucks me in it. I take more pills and water. I'm not hungry, but I know that's because of the fever, so I try to take the food she offers me, which is another apple, some dried peaches, and a small piece of groosling. Then I just lie there, with closed eyes as I listen to what Katniss is doing. She's trying to build something to cover the entrance, but it doesn't work for her, because I can hear it being torn down.

"Katniss." I blurt out, for some odd reason.

She comes over to me and brushes my hair out of my eyes, which I didn't expect her to do.

"Thanks for finding me. Even if you nearly blew me sky high or nearly put an arrow between my eyes."

She actually chuckles a little at that. "I guess it was lucky that we ran into each other. And I can't stop saying sorry for the shoulder, or nearly blowing you up." She places her hand on my forehead.

"Katniss, if I don't make it-" I start.

"Don't talk like that. I didn't drain all that pus for nothing."

"I know that, but there's a chance that-"

"No, Alto, I don't even want to discuss it." She says, placing a finger on my lips.

"But-"

She leans forward and kisses me, cutting off my words. I can easily tell you this is something I should of excepted, because were supposed to be in love, but I know that she's doing this right now to make me shut me up about me not making it. It's kind of strange. She breaks it and pulls the bag around me.

"You're not going to die. I forbid it. Alright?"

"Alright."

She moves outside of the cave. I'm too tired to think of what just happened and I start dozing off.

"Alto!" Katniss calls after a few minutes in a tone a wife would call her husband in, but I don't response. She gives me another kiss, which startles me a little, and I can't help but smile back at her.

"Alto, look what Haymitch sent you." She says as she lifts the pot.

I try eating the broth and get half way through it when I feel I can't eat anymore or I may lose it all. Katniss tries to make me eat more though different means; coaxing, begging, threatening, and kissing for about an hour before I stomach the rest of it. She lets me drift to sleep right after while she kept watch, though sometime during the night I recall something slipping into the sleeping bag with me, which was Katniss. When I do wake, Katniss isn't in the cave. But my guess is that she went to go find food or set snares. I'm able to pick myself up and hop my way outside to the creek to wash my face and get some fresh air. The pain in my leg has lessened, it's bearable now, and I can put some weight on it, but not much. But overall, I feel miserable. There's some rustling to my right and Katniss emerges from the foliage.

"You should be in the cave." She says in a somewhat angered voice.

"Good morning to you too." I reply.

She just sighs as she helps me back to the cave.

"You should let me know when you're just going to take off like that. I'll end up having a heart attack sooner or later."

She laughs "You're worried about me? Haven't you seen yourself?"

"Yeah, I have."

"How do you feel?" She asks. "Better, much better. Don't feel as lonely now that you're here." That just came out of my mouth.

She reaches and caresses my cheek, and I close my eyes and sigh while a small smile tugs on my lips.

"No more kisses for you until you've eaten." She says.

Once I'm propped against the wall as she feeds me the spoonful of berry mush. She's able to feed me a small piece of goosling.

"You didn't sleep." I tell her.

"I'm alright." It's very easy to tell when she lies.

"You need sleep Katniss, you can't stay awake forever." She knows I'm right, so she doesn't fight it.

"Alright. But just for a few hours. Then you wake me." She lays the sleeping bag out and lies on top of it, one hand trained on her bow in case she needs to fire at a moments notice. I sit next to her, my eyes surveying the outside world.

"Sleep." I say softly. My hand brushes the loose strands of hair off her forehead. Why does this feel so natural to me? She falls asleep within minutes. Just like the night before the Games, I take in her face, which looks much more peaceful when she's asleep without that scowl. I don't wake her up; she wakes up on her own, sometime during the afternoon. She seems irritated.

"Alto, you were supposed to wake me after a couple of hours."

"Why not? You needed the sleep. Besides, I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl. Improves your looks a lot." This makes her scowl, and I give a smirk. She checks my cheek. She asks if I've been drinking and I answer yes, which I have; I finished my canteen. She hands me more pills, then checks on my other wounds before looking at my leg. My leg seems to have increased in size due to the swelling and the skin itself is inflames. What catches my eye though, are the red streaks that are crawling up them.

Blood poisoning.

Oh damn.

"Well, there's more swelling, but the pus is gone." She says in an unsteady voice.

"I know what blood poisoning looks like Katniss."

"You're just going to have to outlast the others, Alto. They'll cure it back at the Capitol when we win." She says.

"Sounds easy enough." I say, but I know that's not true, and Katniss knows too.

"You have to eat. Keep your strength up. I'm going to make you soup." She says.

"How are you suppose to make soup without making a fire?" Making a fire isn't worth it out here.

"I'll think of something." She says as she walks out of the cave.

Why do I feel like a five year old waiting for someone to feed him? I feel so useless right now. Then again, I don't have the energy to do anything, especially with this fever. I lay on the sleeping bag. God I hate fevers. I just want it to stop, but that won't happen. Aw.

After a few minutes, Katniss come back in to check on me. She can tell that I'm miserable just by looking at me. She puts a wet cloth on my forehead, but it doesn't have any affect on me at all.

"Do you want anything?" She asks.

"Uhh…how about a story?"

"A story? What about?"

"Something that made you happy."

"Did I ever tell you about how I got Prim's goat?" I shake my head. She tells me that she sold her mothers silver locket for money to get the goat, but I know she must have got a decent hunt in order to get that money. The rest of it sounds true. She says the goat was injured pretty badly, but her mother and sister where able to make her better. "They kind of sound like you." I say.

"Oh no, Alto. They work magic. That thing couldn't have died if it tried." But her face tells me she regrets saying that, being that I'm dying.

"Don't worry." I chuckle. "I'm not trying. So is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her cheek, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something," She says. "It was already mad about her."

"It was still wearing its pink ribbon, right?" I ask.

"I think so. Why?"

"I'm just trying to get a picture. I can see why that day made you happy."

"Well, I knew that goat would be a little gold mine." She says.

"Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping," I reply drily.

"The goat has paid for itself. Several times over," She says in a superior tone.

"I wouldn't think it'd do anything else after you saved it. I intend to do the same thing."

"Really? What did you cost me again?"

"Trouble. A lot of trouble. But I'm worth it." I joke.

Katniss rolls her eyes, but can't stop the smile that appears on her face. She puts her hand on my forehead.

"You're a little cooler."

The trumpets startle both of us, and Katniss is already at the mouth of the cave. I get to the opening as well, but much slower then Katniss. Claudius Templesmith is inviting us to a feast. We don't need food really, so I dismiss it, and I think Katniss does the same. But Claudius isn't finished.

"Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately."

I absentmindedly glance at my leg, and I catch Katniss glancing too.

"Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance."

Those words swim around in my head. I grab Katniss's shoulder.

"No." Is all I say.

"Who said I was going?"

I don't say anything, just stare at her. "I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Clove and Thresh? Don't be stupid," She says, helping me back to bed. "I'll let them fight it out; we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."

My eyes droop a little, and I give her a look that says 'You suck at lying'

"You're a terrible liar." I start mimicking her. "I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You're a little cooler. Of course, I'm not going." I sigh. "Never gamble at cards. I did twice and look at me now."

Anger flushes her face. "Alright, I am going, and you can't stop me!"

"Oh yes I can. I can still follow you to the Cornucopia."

"You won't get a hundred yards from here on that leg,"

"I walked around on this leg for three days." I say drily. "If you go, I go."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?"

"I won't die. I've been through much worse then this. I lived through that, so I'll live through this."

She doesn't argue any further. "Fine, but you have to do what I say. Drink your water, wake me when I tell you, and eat every bite of the soup no matter how disgusting it is!" She snaps at me.

"Okay."

"Wait here." She says as she goes to retrieve the soup. She feeds it to me and I have to say, it turned out much better then I thought it would. I'm actually able to finish it without much trouble. Katniss goes out to the creek to wash up.

'Aw hell, I'm not going to make it, am I?' I'll probably last a day or two before it reaches my brain, heart, or lungs, then that's it. Done. Dead. I sigh.

'All I did. Wasted. Well, not entirely.'

Katniss comes back with what looks like smashed up berries. "I've brought you a treat. I found a new patch of berries a little farther downstream." She gives me the berries by spoonful.

"Hmm. They're very sweet."

"Yes, they're sugar berries. My mother makes jam from them. Haven't you ever had them before?" She asks as she gives me the next spoonful.

"I've had something like this, but the taste is different."

"Well, you can't get them in the market much, they only grow wild." She says.

"I know that." I take the last of the berries.

"They're sweet as syrup." I say as I swallow the last mouthful. "Syrup…"

Realization hits me. I give an annoyed sigh as I turn to look at Katniss. I'm already losing consciousness, but before I do, I muter three words.

"Damn it… Katniss…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Don't own Hunger Games. Both characters may be a bit OC in this chapter.**

* * *

**Katniss POV**

'I've been through worse.' What a bunch of bull.

I knew Alto had an ego of some sort, but that was just too much. Why does he have to be so stubborn?

Even though the vial looks more then enough to knock out anyone for a day, I'm not to sure about Alto. Like I said before, he's a fighter, whether he's fighting someone, or he's injured in such a way and ignoring it. He clamed he's walked for three days with his leg open like that. I don't know if he was lying or not, but something tells me he wasn't.

During the remaining hours of daylight, I've been busy trying to camouflage the opening of the cave. It's a slow process, but before night fall, I have it just like I want it. I make a meal out of a small, bony fish that inhabit the stream. I also fill and purify every water container and clean my weapons, which are nine arrows. I'll leave Alto with his weapons, I don't know how to use a tomahawk properly, I already have a knife, and the throwing knifes are kind of like my bow.

Something comes to me while I'm cleaning, the feeling of guilt. I feel guilty why? Maybe it's for drugging Alto. But I had to do it, otherwise he will die and…I don't want him to die. I take a look at the sky to see if there will be one less opponent to worry about, but none show. For sure there will be faces up tomorrow, feasts always bring fatalities. I get back into the cave, slip in the bag with Alto, and put on the glasses. It's a good thing Alto let me sleep awhile today; I'm going to need to stay up tonight. It's not because I'm paranoid that someone will attack us, but because I can't risk missing dawn.

So cold, so cold, why so cold? Am I thankful that Alto's right next to me, with his natural heat and fever heat, but I feel so lonely, more so then I normally am. Physically, he's right here next to me, but mentally, he's out cold. He might as well be in twelve again. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help wounding what's going on in twelve, how my mother and Prim are, how everyone is reacting to us getting so far. Most likely cheering us on. Except Gale, he won't be cheering, but he's willing me to come home. Is he hoping that Alto comes back too?

I shake my head slightly. For some odd reason, it feels wrong thinking of Gale right now.

After what I guess is three hours before dawn, I begin my final preparations. I make sure to leave Alto with water and a medical kit. With the cold, I think of taking Alto's jacket, but that thought quickly disappears when I remember that he doesn't have a shirt, and I can't leave him like that. So I just take it off of him and lay it next to his weapons. I take Rue's spare socks, cut holes for my fingers and thumbs then slip them on. I fill her small pack with some food, pack my water, bandages, tuck my knife into my belt, and grab my bow and arrows. Then, without any thought, I give Alto a long, lingering kiss before I make my way out of the cave.

Why does everything feel natural around him?

Why?

Ohhh, why does everything have to be so complicated?

I don't feel very confident right now either. I have this strange feeling, a sense of… foreboding, like something's bad is going to happen. I just hope that feelings wrong.

**Few Hours Later**

Damn that foreboding, it had to be right, didn't it?

Right now I'm on my back, above my right eyebrow has been opened by the knife Clove had thrown at me while she pins my shoulders to the ground with her knees.

"Where's your boyfriend, District Twelve? Still hanging on?" She asks.

"He's out there now. Hunting Cato." I snarl at her. Then I scream at the top of my lungs. "Alto!"

Clove slams her fist into my windpipe, effectively cutting off my voice. But her head's whipping from side to side, and I know for a moment she's considering I'm telling the truth. Alto doesn't come obviously.

"Liar," She says with a grin. "He's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut him. You've probably got him strapped up in some tree while you try to keep his heart going. Well, too bad he's not getting that medicine in that pack."

Clove opens her jacket. It's lined with an impressive array of knives. She carefully selects an almost dainty-looking number with a cruel, curved blade.

"I promised Cato if he let me have you, I'd give the audience a good show." I'm struggling now in an effort to unseat her, but it's no use. She's too heavy.

"Forget it, District Twelve. We're going to kill you. Just like we did your pathetic little ally . . . what was her name? The one who hopped around in the trees? Rue? Well, first Rue, then you, and then I think we'll just let nature take care of Alto. How does that sound?" Clove asks.

"Now, where to start?" She carelessly wipes away the blood from my wound with her jacket sleeve. For a moment, she surveys my face, tilting it from side to side as if it's a block of wood and she's deciding exactly what pattern to carve on it. I attempt to bite her hand, but she grabs the hair on the top of my head, forcing me back to the ground.

"I think . . ." She purrs. "I think we'll start with your mouth." I clamp my  
teeth together as she traces the outline of my lips with the tip of the blade.

"Yes, I don't think you'll have much use for your lips anymore. Want to blow Alto one last kiss?" She asks.

I work up a mouthful of blood and saliva and spit it in her face. She flushes with rage.

"All right then. Let's get started."

I brace myself for the agony that's sure to follow, but as I feel the tip open the first cut at my lip, a shadowed figure appears above me, and it throws a fist at Clove, which connects with her face. She's thrown back and her weight is lifted off of me. The figure then charges her, out of my view. I'm much too shocked to do much of anything. Well actually, I prop myself on my elbows to see Clove and the figure going at it, swinging knifes and…

a tomahawk.

"**STAY AWAY FROM HER!"**

"Alto…"

**Alto POV**

I'm pissed at a lot of things right now.

I'm pissed at the Capital for getting me into this mess, I'm pissed at the Games for ever existing, I'm pissed at Katniss for drugging me and going to the feast, and I'm pissed at Clove for even laying a finger on Katniss.

My leg should be killing me, but with the adrenaline flowing through my veins, it's drowning out any pain I should be feeling.

Clove slashes downward, but I parry it away as I swing upward with my tomahawk, which she jumps back to avoid. I charge as she jumps and throw a right roundhouse at her head. She blocks it, but is thrown back more due to the power. She throws one knife at me and I bring my tomahawk to meet it, and the thrown knife is deflected. She's on me already and throws a punch at me. I parry her fist past my head, but she keeps moving forward, unable to stop herself. I use her momentum against her. I push forward, and bring a hard knee to her stomach. Right after, I spin clock-wise before she even has time to double over, and elbow her in the back of the head, which throws her down on all four's.

This is how I should fight all the time.

I kick her while she's down, and she rolls away from me. Once she's a few feet away, she picks herself back up, wiping some blood off her mouth.

"Cato!" She yells.

"Clove!" Cato yells back.

Clove glances at the direction of the noise, which came behind her.

"Let's see how you do against-" I'm on her before she can finish and I slash upwards diagonally with both my knife and tomahawk, giving her a deep gash in her chest which sprays some blood on my face and bear chest. (I was in such a hurry that I just threw on my jacket and took off.) She cries out in pain and throws another knife at me.

At that point, Clove may have saved my life.

As I roll to my left to avoid the knife, Thresh comes barreling in with a stone the size of a small loaf of bread in hand, and smashes it into Clove's skull. There's a dent in her head now and she won't make it. Thresh turns to me, and I roll to Katniss, taking up a stance in front of her.

"What'd she mean? About Rue being your ally?" He asks, mostly to Katniss who's for some reason still on the ground, propped on her elbows.

"I- I- we teamed up. Blew up the supplies. I tried to save her, I did. But he got there first. District One."

"And you killed him?" He demands.

"Yes. I killed him. And buried her in flowers," Katniss says. "And I sang her to sleep."

"To sleep?" Thresh says gruffly.

"To death. I sang until she died." She replies. "Your district. . . they sent me bread."

Thresh turns to me.

"Were you there? What did you do?" He demands an answer.

"I paid my respects." I say. "And gave her a prayer."

He simply stares at us for a few seconds before turning his back on us.

"Just this once."

I'm thoroughly confused, but Katniss might know what he's talking about.

"Clove!" Cato's closer now, much closer.

"You better run now, Fire Girl. You too Phoenix." Says Thresh.

'Phoenix?'

I hear Katniss scramble to her feet. "Come on Alto!"

She tugs at my arm. I comply, and we both take off back to the cave. Katniss keeps wiping blood off her forehead on our way back. Afterwards, she picks up the pace, which I also do. After a few minutes, we make it back to the cave. Katniss slips in very quickly and drags me in as well. She cuts open the orange pack and dumps the contents out. . One slim box containing one hypodermic needle falls out. Without hesitating, she jams the needle into my arm and slowly presses down on the plunger. After, she grabs her head, then lets them drop to her lap. She falls to the floor limply, out cold.

"Katniss!"

I'm hovering over her. I survey her injuries. The only one I can see is the gash on her forehead that's above her right eyebrow. Oh, I'm not too good with treating these injuries. I grab the spare socks she was using for gloves and press them on her wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Within a few minutes, I switch socks since the first is damp with blood. The second sock starts to dampen as well.

"Don't die on me Katniss. You can't die on me."

Even though the sock is now damp, I continue applying pressure on her wound for about half an hour before lifting. The bleeding's finally stopped. I clean her forehead a bit due to some of the excess blood that came off due to me applying the pressure and bandage it up. After, I check her pulse and breathing. They seem normal.

"Thank god." I sigh.

I carefully remove her knife, jacket, boots, and sock, then slip her into the sleeping bag. I put her bow next to myself and glance at her.

"Way to give me a heart attack Katniss."

I think it's about mid morning, but I can't tell. The sky is full of dark clouds, and I can hear rumbling. Thunder. A storm is coming. Damn, why a storm? Well, I guess it isn't too bad. With the storm, I doubt anyone would be out hunting us. They'd be looking for shelter. So, how to prepare? I know this cave isn't waterproof, so I need something to cover Katniss. I go through both my and Katniss's packs trying to find something useful. I find a square piece of plastic, I can use that. I'm able to wedge it in the ceiling above her and not a moment to soon. The storm moved onto us very fast, and the rain's already come. Same with the lightning. Water leaks through several holes, but Katniss is dry, so I'm satisfied with that. Now I notice how tired I am. That fight took a lot out of me even though I wasn't injured during it. I can say it's mostly from the adrenaline rush I had. I just knock out right there. I was out a long time. When I awoke, I could see a small break in the clouds.

Sunrise. I slept almost an entire day. That small break disappears, and it's back to poring rain and lightning. My leg's sore. I check it. The swelling that was present the day before Katniss knocked me out has almost completely disappeared, and the red streaks are gone too.

'I'll live.'

I wrap my leg back up. It's very uneventful for a few hours, except for me devouring a few apples, half of my crackers, and a piece of groosling. By what I can guess is afternoon, I hear Katniss moaning. I check on her. The bandage has small traces of blood, but not a lot. She seems to be dreaming too. She keeps mumbling something. I gently stroke her cheek, and her breathing slows a bit.

"Katniss?" I say. "Katniss? Ya' hear me?"

Her eyes open slowly, taking everything in. At first, it seems she doesn't even know where she is, but then her eyes settle on me. "Alto."

I give a sigh. "You don't know how good it is to see your eyes again."

"How long have I been out?" She asks in a weak voice.

"About a day and a half. Had to fix you up. The bleeding stopped, but I don't recommend moving much."

She gingerly touches her bandaged head. I bring a canteen to her lips and she drinks thirstily.

"You're better." She says.

"Yes, I'm better. The swelling has gone away, as has the poisoning."

"Did you eat?"

"Yes I ate. A little too much I think."

"No, it's good. You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon."

"Not in this weather. Besides, look at yourself. Let me take care of you right now."

She really doesn't seem to have much choice. I feed her bites of groosling and raisins and make her drink plenty of water. I rub some warmth back into her feet and wrap them in my jacket before tucking the sleeping bag back up around her chin. The cold isn't that bad right now, so I'm fine.

"Your boots and socks are still damp and the weather isn't helping." A clap of thunder, and I glance outside in time to see five streaks of electricity light up the sky.

"I'm willing to bet that the storm's for Thresh and Cato." I say. Katniss simply nods her head.

"Now," I say. "About Thresh letting us go yesterday."

"He didn't want to owe me anything." She says quickly.

"And it was for Rue, right?"

"Yes."

...

There's silence between us for a short time before I speak.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep."

"Okay." She whispers. "Wake me if you need me to keep watch."

"Don't worry about me." I wake her when evening comes. The rain has turned into a downpour, with streams running down the ceiling. I had to reposition the plastic above Katniss. Katniss fells a bit better, she's able to sit up without getting too dizzy. She's hungry and so am I. We take in what we have left, which is a decent amount. Two pieces of groosling, a small mishmash of roots, a dozen apples, and a bag of smashed crackers.

"Should we ration it?" I ask.

"No, let's just finish it. The groosling's getting old anyway, and the last thing  
we need is to get sick off spoilt food." We divide it evenly. We try eating slow, but the food's gone within minutes. Our stomachs are partially satisfied.

"Tomorrow's a hunting day." She says.

"I think I should gather; I may scare away game with my leg."

"That would be best."

It's hard to see the projection, but we can tell that no one's died today.

"Where did Thresh go? I mean, what's on the far side of the circle?" Katniss asks.

"I have no idea, but it's obvious that it has an abundance of food. If I'm correct, he looked the same size he was at the beginning." I reply. "Either that, or he has a generous sponsor. What do we have to do to get Haymitch to give us what Thresh is having?"

Katniss takes my hand. "Well, he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out." She says mischievously.

"Yeah, about that," I say, entwining my fingers in hers. "Don't try something like that again."

"Or what?"

"Or next time I won't be there to save your ass."

"Is that the problem?" She says with a grin.

"The problem is we're still alive, which only reinforces the idea in your head that you did the right thing."

"I did do the right-"

"No! Just don't, Katniss!" My grip on her hand tightens. "When you past out, I was…scared. Scared that you would end up dying in my arms no mater what I did to help you." My grip loosens, and my voice gets softer. "Don't die for me Katniss." She speaks, and there's some anger in her voice.

"Maybe I did it for myself, Alto. Did you ever think of that? Maybe you aren't the only one who . . . who worries about . . . what it would be like if. . ."

"If what, Katniss?" I ask, and she leans closer to me.

"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of." She says evasively, but she still moves in closer to me.

"Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself now, won't I?" I kick a rock towards the opposite wall. Katniss quickly glances at it before asking. "Camera?"

"Camera."

"Good."

I don't know what happens, but when our lips meet, something kind of snaps in both of us, maybe our self control. At first the kiss is a gentle one, but then it starts to become more intense. She wraps her arms around my neck as I wrap one arm around her waist and bring the other to grip the back of her head, and these in turn deepen the kiss. It continues like this for a few seconds before Katniss 'takes the lead.' She pushes me; my back makes contact with the wall. She starts kissing my neck, and I grab her sides, my breath now shuddered.

This is so against our nature. None of us have done something like this before; were just relying on our instincts.

"Katniss." I moan. This seems to encourage her, and her hands start roaming after. I don't mind it until she reaches below my waist.

I gasp in surprise. This is going too far.

"Katniss. Stop."

She complies almost immediately. She looks at me, and her face show's guilt. Guilty that she went so far.

"I'm sorry."

"Katniss, I think were both to blame here."

We sit there silently. Katniss is sitting on my lap. "Come on. It's bed time."

Katniss's socks are dry enough for her to ware. She makes me put my jacket back on, which I'm geratful for. I may have natural body heat, but that can't accommodate for the cold. Katniss decides to take the first watch, though I doubt anyone will attack in this weather. I have a short argument with her, trying to get her in the sleeping bag. She agrees due to the cold. I move the rock blocking the camera before settling in. People would get upset if they can't see us. As we settle down, I push her head down so she can use my arm as a pillow, while the other rests protectively over her. I drift off to sleep then. Katniss wakes me a few hours later because she can't keep her eyes open. I don't mind though.

"Tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll find us a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace." She promises as she drifts off.

The next day doesn't improve. The thunder's shaking the ground. We don't do much today. Were too tired, still trying to recover from injuries acquired during the feast or ones we had before. We just sit huddled together in the sleeping bag, mostly to keep warm. The most eventful thing we do is take a nap. Katniss breaks the silence.

"Alto," She says lightly. "You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?"

"Oh, let's see. Well, let's start with when I first met you."

"Alright." She says.

"The first time I saw you was when I was out hunting." Everyone and their mother probably know by now that Katniss and I hunt, so there's no harm in talking about it, though I will leave other people out of it.

"I was about to kill a deer, a big one at that, when I heard a snapping noise. The deer heard it too, and scurried away. I was curious to what had made the sound, so I went to investigate and low and behold, I found you." I say as I poke her nose. She chuckles slightly.

"At first, I kind of saw you as annoying. You would scare away game. And I didn't appreciate you staring at me when I was hunting."

"I didn't think you knew I was there." Katniss says sheepishly, her face turning red.

"Huh, I always knew. Anyway, after awhile, you kind of spiked my interest, and I started to do the same thing you did; stare you down like you stared me down. Then one day, when you where just sitting on a hill enjoying the scenery, you sang. You remember singing out there?"

"Actually yes. I remember that, though I don't remember what I sang."

"Yeah, I don't know the song you sang either, but when you sang…everything fell silent. The birds, the insects, the land animals, even the wind went silent."

"Oh please."

"No, I mean it. I think after that the feelings started. But I never really went for it. I was always so busy that I never found the time to ask. That and this was an entirely new thing for me. I didn't know how to process it."

"I know how you feel." She says, nodding in agreement.

"I guess I can thank the Games for sorting out my feelings huh?" I say, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I guess you do." She replies.

"I think it's time we go to sleep." I say.

"I'm not sure why, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep."

"Hmm, maybe I can help."

"How?" I have to think for a few minutes before I can think of something.

_Nature, nurture heaven and home_

_Sum of all, and by them, driven_

_To conquer every mountain shown_

_But I've never crossed the river_

Katniss gives me a questioning look, but I continue.

_Braved the forests, braved the stone_

_Braved the icy winds and fire_

_Braved and beat them on my own_

_Yet I'm helpless by the river_

I can't hear anything. The drum of the rain is muffled and the thunder sounds more like drums to me.

_Angel, angel, what have I done?_

_I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire_

_I've conquered country, crown, and throne_

_Why can't I cross this river?_

_Angel, angel, what have I done?_

_I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire_

_I've conquered country, crown, and throne_

_Why can't I cross this river?_

_Pay no mind to the battles you've won_

_It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle_

_Open your heart and hands, my son_

_Or you'll never make it over the river_

Katniss decides to join in and, even though she's only heard the song just now, she lands the notes perfectly.

_It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

_A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

_The hands of the many must join as one_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

_A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

_The hands of the many must join as one_

_And together we'll cross the river_

I continue singing the main while Katniss some how know to sing the second.

_(Nature, nurture heaven and home)_

_It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

_(Sum of all, and by them, driven)_

_A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

_(To conquer every mountain shown)_

_The hands of the many must join as one_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_(Braved the forests, braved the stone)_

_It'll take a lot more than words and guns_

_(Braved the icy winds and fire)_

_A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

_(Braved and beat them on my own)_

_The hands of the many must join as one_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_And together we'll cross the river_

Katniss has fallen asleep.

_Nature, nurture heaven and home_

And I'm starting to doze off too.

_And together we'll cross the river_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_Nature, nurture heaven and home_

_And together we'll cross the river_

_And together we'll cross the river_

* * *

**I think this song "Humbling River" goes well with this seen. Anyway, Review please!**


	17. Chapter 17

******Sorry for the delay. Don't own Hunger Games. **

* * *

**Alto POV**

Someone's shaking me awake, which is obviously Katniss, I wonder is she waking me to scorn me for not keeping watch? The shaking soon stops, then I get a backhand to the back of my head.

"Aw! What the hell?!"

"It was the only way to wake you up." She says with a grin. "Look what I got."

She holds a basket with a silver parachute attached. She shows me the contents; fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and best of all, a tureen of that incredible lamb stew on wild rice.

My jaw drops. "How the hell did Haymitch afford that?"

"I don't know, but I'm not complaining."

"Neither am I." I serve us a roll, half an apple, and an egg-size serving of stew and rice. She gives me a face.

"We can't eat too much, we might get sick."

"You're right." She says regretfully. We start eating, though Katniss eats much slower, savoring every bite. When we finish, Katniss stares at her plate longingly.

"I want more."

"Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving."

"It's going to be a long hour." She says.

"You're telling me. Come on; let's get back in the sleeping bag."

We settle in, our backs against the wall. Katniss's head rests on my shoulder, my arms wrapped around her. She then continues the conversation we had before we drifted off.

"So, since then, you never even noticed any other girls?"

"I noticed other girls, but they never caught my attention. I think it has to do with your attitude."

"My attitude?" She asks.

"Yeah. And the way you are. I'm not like other guys who want a girl who's mediocre and makes them feel strong. I take a liking to girls who can take a beating and come back for more, which is you and only you."

"How would you parents react to this?" She asks.

"I wouldn't know, I don't have parents."

She looks up to me. "You don't?"

"No. I don't remember anything about them. I was too young. I was raised in an orphanage and ran from it when I eight."

"I'm sorry I brought that up."

"Not your fault. I don't talk about it a lot, so you wouldn't know. But if they were here, I don't think they would care. Besides, if we win, we'd live in Victor's Village, and they certainly wouldn't mind that, if they were here."

Katniss seems disgusted by the thought. "But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!"

I can't help burst out laughing. "I don't see that as bad. I think it would be quite comical. Haymitch nearly killed himself before, who knows what he does at his house?"

It's silent for awhile. I'm listing to the rain during that period until Katniss speaks. "How do you think he did it?"

"How do I think who did what?"

"Haymitch. How do you think he won the Games?"

Well let's see. He was younger before obviously. I don't know much about him to say anything for his physical traits. Only one thing comes to mind.

"He outsmart the others."

She nods, then lets the conversation drop. After about half an hour, Katniss decides to eat again, and frankly, I can't blame her. She's dishing some stew and rice when the anthem. I press my eye against the crack in the rock to watch the sky.

"There won't be anything to see tonight." She says, far more interested in the stew than the sky. "Nothing's happened or we would've heard the cannon."

Then an image is on the sky.

Thresh.

'Damn, Katniss isn't going to like this.'

"Katniss."

"What? Should we split another roll, too?" She asks.

"Katniss." I say again.

"I'm going to split one. But I'll save the cheese for tomorrow." I turn and stare at her.

"What?"

"Thresh's dead."

"He can't be." She replies dismissively.

"They must have fired the cannon and the thunder drowned it out."

"Are you sure? I mean its pouring buckets out there. I don't know how you can see anything." She pushes me away from the opening and takes a look outside. She's pulls back a few seconds later and slumps down against the rocks.

"You alright Katniss?"

Like I needed to ask.

She shrugs and cups her elbows in her hands.

"It's just . . . if we didn't win . . . I wanted Thresh to, because he let us go, and because of Rue."

"I know. But this means that were one step closer to twelve." I push her plate of food. "Eat while it's hot."

We start eating a little before Katniss says. "Cato will be back hunting us."

"Yeah, and he has supplies now."

"He'll be wounded, I bet." She says.

"Hm, I don't know."

"Thresh would have never gone down without a fight. He's so strong, I mean, he was. And they were in his territory."

"I guess." We finish the meal in silence and I take the first watch. She burrows down in the sleeping bag next to me, pulling her hood on. She needs a moment. A few hours into the watch, I had to eat again. Half a roll spread with white cream topped with apples. When Katniss wakes, I give her the same thing.

"Oh, good." She says as she devourers the food. "Mm."

"Peeta makes goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery."

"Bet that's expensive."

"Hn." I say as I pull the sleeping bag up around me and knock out a minute later. 'Almost there.' When Katniss wakes me, the rain has stopped, and I can see sunlight. I dismiss her shaking, wanting to fall back asleep. I expect to feel some pain in my head, but get a kiss instead that startles me. I look at Katniss.

"Knew that would wake you."

I shake my head but smile, none the less. She divides the rest of the stew and rice and hands me a heaping plate.

"All this?" I ask.

"We'll earn it back today." I don't question her, and we both plow threw the food. It's cold, but we don't care. Katniss abandons her fork and scrapes the last bit of gravy with her finger.

"I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners." She turns to me, and her eyes widen slightly. I hadn't even used my fork; I literally started eating by plowing my face into the plate. My face has bits of food smothered all over it.

"We miss you Effie!" I call while waving my now clean plate at the camera.

Katniss covers my mouth with her hand, but can't contain her laughter. "Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave."

"Don't think that would happen."

"Come on." Katniss says. We pack everything up, then move out to hunt.

"He'll be hunting us by now." I say. "Cato isn't one to wait for his prey to come to him."

"If he's wounded-"

"It won't matter. I think I broke his leg and he still went after Thresh. If he can move, he'll come."

The stream has overflowed its bank by several feet. We replenish our water and head out to check Katniss's snares. That's not surprising though, with the weather and all.

"If we want food, we better head back up to my old hunting grounds."

"Your call, just tell me what you need me to do."

"Keep an eye out," She says. "Stay on the rocks as much as possible, no sense in leaving him tracks to follow. And listen for both of us."

Oh yeah, her hearings messed up in one of her ears, don't know which one. I'd walk in the water, but Katniss won't let me with my leg. So we keep to the banks. After a few, we get to the place where Katniss shot me at. The boulders start to diminish to rocks, then to pine needles and trees. I feel more at home here.

"You walk very quietly for someone with an open leg." Katniss says.

"Thanks." That's a complement.

It takes a few hours to reach Katniss's hunting grounds.

"Katniss. We need to split up. You'd be able to hunt better without me hindering you."

"You're only hindering me because of you're leg. But even then, you're quiet enough."

"How about I find edible plants while you go hunt? That way were both useful."

"Not if Cato comes and kills you." She replies.

"Hmph, I've taken Cato before." I say in a confident tone. She doesn't argue anymore, but the face she gives me says. 'Yeah, and look how that turned out.'

She teaches me a simple two note whistle, so we know that the other's alright. Afterwards, she heads off while I start digging for roots. Once I gather what I call a decent amount, I wander a little for other edibles, giving a whistle every once and awhile to let Katniss know I'm aright. I start passing berry bushes, I pick a few, but not too much. They look like the ones I picked before Katniss and I blew the careers supplies, but their not.

"Nightlock; nasty stuff. Lost two friends to that. Could use this for something else though." I say to myself.

Snap! I stop dead in my tracks.

Snap! I throw myself to a tree to hide behind. I know what direction the noise is coming from.

Snap!

'Now who might you be, Fox of Cato?' Are my thoughts.

I peek around the trunk to find a very thin Foxface. She seems to be looking for something edible, searching the ground and the trees. I'm pushed slightly forward. I turn to find Katniss.

"Al-" I cut off her words with my hand. I point behind while mouthing 'Foxface.' She understands and takes a peek. She turns to me.

'Can you take her out?' I mouth again. Katniss nods. She moves to the other side of the trunk to get a better shot while I occupy the other. Foxface doesn't seem to be paying much attention to anything but her stomach right now. Katniss takes aim.

An inhuman roar is heard. Foxface turns to look behind her, then lets out a scream. A black creature the size of a bear attacks her. She's thrown in our direction and impacts a tree about five feet from us.

Canon fires.

The animal took off after, and I wasn't able to get a good look at what it was. Katniss and I turn to look at Foxface.

Or what's left of her.

Everything below her waist had been torn off. Her upper body had large slashes on her chest, stomach, and head. Her head's hanging on the rest of her body by her skin. Her organs have spilled out of the opening and I can see her bloody ribs and even her heart through the slashes.

Katniss brings her hands to her mouth. "Oh my…" She turns around and looses her breakfast. I start to feel my breakfast clawing up my throat, but I'm able to keep it down. I attend to Katniss, holding her hair up. After a few minutes, we move out of the area before I can lose my food. We walk to a small creek where Katniss rinses her mouth out.

"What attacked her?" She asks after the fifth mouth wash.

"I don't know. But whatever it was, we need to make sure that doesn't happen to us."

"R-right."

"Hey, I was thinking of something." I say as I pull some berries from my pocket.

"Nightlock." She says.

"Yeah. I wasn't going to eat them, but now that I think of Foxface, how thin she was, it gave me an idea."

"I think I know you're idea." She says as she pulls out a small leather pouch.

"Yes. That's what I was thinking." She puts the Nightlock in the pouch and secures it to her belt.

"Cato could be on us at any minute if he could see the hovercraft or hear that roar." I say.

"Let's make a fire, right now." She begins to gather branches and brush.

"You ready to face him?" I ask.

"I'm ready to eat. Better to cook our food while we have the chance. If he knows we're here, he knows. But he also knows there's two of us and probably assumes we were hunting Foxface. That means you're recovered. And the fire means we're not hiding, we're inviting him here. Would you show up?" She asks.

"Me? Yes." She turns to me and gives me a face.

"You asked what I would do, and that's what I would do."

"You're crazy."

"Maybe you take a liking to me because I'm crazy."

Although she has her back to me, I know she's rolling her eyes.

I'm able to set the fire off in a snap with a brick of flint. Katniss wraps the rabbits and squirrel in leaves, and leaves them baking in the coals. When the food's cooked, she pack most of it up, leaving us each a rabbit's leg to eat as we walk. A few minutes of walking and Katniss says we should make camp in a tree.

"You're going to have to help up." She climes the tree first before trying to help me up. I take over half an hour before I get to the height she wants. Once up, I'm able to find a trio of branches that would support Katniss and I and keep us from falling, like the other branches I've slept in at the beginning of the Games. She sets up the sleeping bag and we both slip into it. Katniss belts us onto the tree. I tell her that it's not necessary, but she won't listen, so I let her do what she wants. Since were in a tree, I don't think we need to take shifts. We simply sit there for a few hours until the anthem plays. We both see the seal and then Fox's face up there, which brings a wave of shudders to both of us as the image of her mangled body reappear in our minds. We both drift off to sleep and wake up in the afternoon, much later then I would have thought.

"Were we that tired?" She asks. "Apparently." We sit there for a few minutes before Katniss wants to move. She climes down the tree, while I fall down, which was painful.

"How long do you think we'll have before the Gamemakers drive us together?" She asks while helping me to my feet.

"Foxface died a day ago, so there's been plenty of time for the audience to place bets and get bored. It could happen at any moment if I were one to guess." I reply.

"Yeah, I have a feeling today's the day." She says. "I wonder how they'll do it."

"I could think of a number of ways, and their not very pleasant."

"Well, until they do, no sense in wasting a hunting day. But we should probably eat as much as we can hold just in case we run into trouble."

She lays out the rest of the rabbits, roots, greens, the rolls spread with the last bit of cheese, but the squirrel and the apple. By the time were done, rabbit bones are the only thing left of the food. My hands feel greasy now and I don't like the feeling. We may not wash to often in twelve, but we know how to keep clean. Katniss suggests that we find a creek and wash up before we meet Cato. I would have questioned her before, but she speaks the truth. One way or another, we end it today. We do find a creek an hour back, or what use to be one. Now it's bone dry. Katniss places a hand on the ground.

"Not even a little damp. They must have drained it while we slept."

"Their driving us towards the lake, where their guarantied a bloody fight that they can see clearly." I say in disgust.

"Maybe the ponds still have some." She says hopefully.

"I highly doubt it, but we can check if you want." She leads me to the pond she said she had used when the fire happened, but we it the same way as the first; bone dry.

"You're right. They're driving us to the lake. Do you want to go straightaway or wait until the water's tapped out?"

"Let's go while we have food and are well rested. We end this, one way or another." Katniss nods her head. I wrap my arms around her.

"Two verses one. Cake walk."

"Next time we eat, it will be in the Capitol." She answers.

"Bet your ass it will."

We stand there locked in each others embrace for a while before breaking and walking to the field. It's going to take awhile before we get there.

We stop and rest under the tree that Katniss dropped the Tracker Jacker nest on the careers, and where I fought Cato. The nest has been disfigured due to the rain and the sun. Katniss lightly taps it with her boot and it disintegrates at her touch. We don't stay there for very long.

"Let's move on." She says.

When we reach the lake, it's early evening. Katniss and I walk around the Cornucopia in a large circle to see if, what Katniss calls 'Pull a Foxface.', but he's not in it. After, we walk to the lake and refill our canteens.

"We don't want to fight him after dark. There's only the one pair of glasses."

"Maybe that's what he's waiting for. What do you want to do? Find another tree to sleep in?"

"Let's give him another half an hour or so. Then we'll take cover."

We sit at the edge of the lake. Mockingjays are flying around in the air, throwing melodies back and forth. Katniss opens her mouth and sing out a four-note run. The mockingjays quiet down, trying to get a feel of the melody. Katniss repeats the notes. Once one mockingjay gets it, the others join in, and the world comes alive with it.

I turn to Katniss and give her a small smile, which she returns, and she answers my silent question.

"That's Rue's song." She says, grabbing the pin at her shirt. "I think they remember it."

We just listen to it for awhile, bathing in its beauty. Something disturbs the mockingjays though, because all of the sudden, they cry out at what I can say the top of their lungs before bolting out of their.

Were on our feet, Katniss poised to shoot, and me wielding my sword when Cato barrels through the trees straight at us. He's not holding any kind of weapon, but he's booking it towards us. Katniss lets an arrow fly at his chest. It bounces harmlessly off his chest to the ground.

"He's got some kind of body armor!" Katniss shouts.

Cato's still coming at us as we both brace ourselves, but he flies right by, not bothering to look back at us.

"He's running? But why?" I say aloud.

My question is answered by a roar. I quickly turn around, staring at the tree line and what I see makes my breathing hitch, and I think my heart stopped.

I see two red orbs staring back at me.

I immediately turn and push Katniss forward. "Go, go, go!" I shout.

She doesn't argue with me because she's seen the beast too. As we take off to Cato, I glance behind me to find more then a dozen behind us now. They roar again. I recognize that roar. It was the same one we heard before Fox was killed and the same one I heard before I was attacked a few years ago when I was hunting. How didn't I recognize it sooner?

Nazo…


	18. Chapter 18

**Last Chapter! **

* * *

**Alto POV**

Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Why Nazo!? Out of all the mutts they could sic on us, why fucking Nazo!?

We trail Cato as he makes a beeline to the Cornucopia. That won't be a safe place. Nothing is a safe place when these things are running amuck. Katniss is a few meters behind Cato and I'm right behind her. Cato makes it to and up the Cornucopia in no time. I pass Katniss and gain some distance, but not to save myself. I reach the horn before her, but don't clime.

"Katniss!" I call. I put my hands together and hold them below my waist as I bend my knees. Katniss runs at me and once she reaches me, she places a foot on my cupped hands. I throw them up as well as push my knees up too, and that sends her flying up the Cornucopia, nearly at the top.

I'm about to start climbing myself, but they get to me first. I jump back, crying out as the Nazo charged me and hits the Cornucopia, making it shake violently and nearly throwing both Cato and Katniss off. I swing my sword, and it makes contact with its face. It cries out in pain and jumps back. I swing again, and the pack all jump back to avoid it.

"Back you demons! Back!" I shout. One tries clawing me, so I duck and slash its claw. It throws the claw out at the other Nazos, cutting them up. An arrow is sent flying at them and they all jump back to dodge it again.

"Clime Alto!" Katniss calls.

I begin to clime, and reach Katniss in no time. She pulls me up, and at that point, we remember that Cato is up here. We turn, but he's still lying on his side trying to catch his breath. He mummers something that I can't make out.

"What?" I shout at Katniss.

"He said, 'Can they climb it?'" She answers.

Can they clime it. They can clime very well, and do another thing. To get to us, they won't need to clime.

All of the Nazos gather at the base of the horn, ironically about twenty-one all together. They look at us for about a minute, while glancing at the horn itself. Six of them back up after the minute is over. They walk back about ten yards before leaping into the air. They don't come back down. The wings on their backs are large, about the size of old airplane wings.

Basically, six Nazos are flying right now.

"What!?" Katniss shouts in surprise. Then they start dive bombing us, trying to get quick slashes in before moving quickly as to avoid any retaliation. I look back down to see three others jump at the horn, landing ten feet below us and begin to clime, their claws digging their way into the metal as if it were paper. The others are waiting patiently at the bottom for one of us to fall.

Bastards are coordinated.

Katniss won't waste anymore arrows, so she swings her bow at them while I keep swinging my sword at the Nazos that are flying and climbing. I can only compensate so much, and one is able to sneak in and knock me over. I fall, but keep hold of the horn. One Nazo takes hold of my leg, his five claws digging into it. I cry out. Katniss grabs hold of me and tries pulling me up, but with this mutt on me, it's impossible.

"Kill it Alto! Kill it!"

I swing wildly at my leg, trying to get the thing off me. I do make contact, but it's determined to either take my leg or my life. I must have hit its throat because when my sword hits again, my back gets soaked with blood, and it gives a dying cry before letting me go and falling to the ground, a thud only enforcing it. Katniss pulls me back up. She arms an arrow and fires at one of the flying Nazos, and she hits it in the neck. It spirals downward, but another takes off into the sky to take its place. The same thing has happened to the climbing Nazo; another takes its place. Katniss is trying to keep them off me while I try to stop the bleeding, but I'm yanked to the side. At first I think another Nazo has me, but then an arm wraps around my neck and cuts off my air.

We should have killed Cato when we first got up here.

I start clawing at his arm, trying to pry it off my neck, but he's stronger then I thought he was. Katniss turns and aims her bow at his head. He may have body armor but he doesn't have a face mask, which wasn't too bright for the people who supplied it to him.

Cato laughs at this. "Shoot me and he goes down with me."

Katniss and I know he's right. If she shoots, I fall with him. If he kills me, he dies with an arrow to the head. Stalemate and silence. The Nazos seem to be curious to what's going on, I see the flying Nazos circling us, just watching. My face is turning purple by now, or I think it is, but it's starting to become difficult to stay awake. I said earlier that we would end this, and I'm going to make sure that if one of us is getting out, it's Katniss. I get a grip of his arm and slowly pry them from my neck. He tries keeping around it, but I'm able to get enough space to breath. I won't be able to pry his arm completely off, so I'll end up dying anyway, not to mention that my legs bleeding profusely. I take a deep breath then speak.

"If I'm going to die, I'm taking your ass with me!" I take hold of Cato and throw myself off the Cornucopia, taking him with me. Katniss lets out a scream.

The air in both our lungs is forced out when we make contact with the ground. We throw ourselves up to our feet, pulling our swords. Nineteen Nazos attacks. The ones that where climbing and flying dive at us, completely ignoring Katniss. One charges me and tries to ram me with its head, which he does, but he literally stabs himself with my sword in his head. I pull it out and swing to my right, catching one in the face, and he retaliates with a slash at my chest. Five claws tear the front of my jacket off and give me an ugly slash on my chest. I hiss in pain, but swing again at another one at my left, and he jumps back to avoid it. I jump back to avoid the claws it throws and make contact with Cato, back to back. We quickly glance at each other before pushing ourselves forward against each others foot and swing madly, doing anything to keep the mutts away from us.

I wonder, would killing Cato end this? No, it wouldn't. I'd have to deal with these things myself, and that would be a guarantied death sentence. He's thinking the same thing too I bet, but he's come to the same conclusion as I have.

One mutt gets too close, and I catch its throat with my sword. I turn behind me and throw my sword at one that was about to take out Cato from behind. The sword embeds itself in its left eye and it falls limply. I pull my tomahawk and knife out and leap at another, landing on its back. I hack at its head and it lets out a shriek before falling. I roll of and leap again.

I don't know how, but I'm still alive.

I know we won't last forever though. Even when I try to keep them off me, they still manage to inflict some injury. Cato has a distinct advantage, his armor. They can attack him all they want, but it will take time to get through to his flesh, unlike me.

I don't know how long the fighting lasts, I think where up to an hour, and were still trying to stay alive. Cato and I have had it, I know, my limbs are heavy now, I'm breathing heavily, and covered in blood, both mine and the Nazos. But I keep fighting, determined to take as many as these mutts with me.

There's only eleven Nazo left. I think Cato and I have killed an equal amount. Their attacking us relentlessly, even as we kill their companions left and right. One takes to the sky and dive bombs Cato, which he rolls from. Right into another Nazo. This one claws his face and, surprisingly, he still has one. He yells out then slashes at its arm, severing in. It yells out and decides to charge me. I barely jump over it and it slams into another Nazo.

Now as I'm fighting, I've noticed one Nazo that hasn't attacked yet. It just circles us outside of the pack that's attacking us. Most likely he's the pack leader. He's larger then the other mutts, much larger, almost twice as large. He's looking for the time to come and finish us off. I have to watch out for him.

If I don't die first.

The Nazos are attacking more so now, I'm guessing that them loosing half a pack is starting to get to them right now. They start pushing us back to the Cornucopia, making sure that we don't have room to maneuver in. Were getting close. It's about five more minutes of fighting. They attack us relentlessly, but don't give us anytime to counter. They attack and retreat back. Cato and I are shoulder to shoulder now, no room to move really. They finally seem to have gotten through his armor because I can see slashes all over his body like me. A roar fills the air. I look forward. The Nazos take to the sky, and the Alpha charges me. Time slows for me, I think it would slow for you too if an animal larger then a Kodiak bear charged you. My mind decides my next moves and takes control of my body. I charge the Alpha. As crazy as it sounds, I charge the Alpha. He's back a ways, a few meters.

5 meters.

4 meters.

3 meters.

At the second meter, I bring my tomahawk down.

1 meter.

Crack!

The Alpha sores pass me and slams into the Cornucopia. Unlike the first Nazo, he takes it down. The sound of shattering metal meeting dirt and gravel fill my ears. Katniss throws herself off to the side before it hits the ground. Its ten agonizing seconds before the sound subsides. I sprint to the downed Alpha, free my weapon from its skull, and spin around, taking a stance ready for another attack from the remaining Nazo's. Nothing comes. They don't move, simply stare at me. Some just stare; others look like they actually have a small sign of shock on their faces, if that's possible.

One minute…

Two minute…

Finally one of them move but not toward me, not to Cato, not to Katniss. He shows his back to me, then gives a short bark. The other Nazos start walking away from us. As they leave, that single Nazo looks at me and only me. His face has a diagonal slash and his has a chunk missing off of its shoulder. Simply stares at me. Then he follows the pack into the trees. I'm shocked. My arms hang at my sides, weapons still in hand. I'm sure that Cato and Katniss are as shocked as I am. We had the fight of our lives with twenty one Nazos, what I call the most dangerous mutations out there, killed half their number, take out their Alpha…and they leave? I would think they would keep attacking but they don't. They just…leave.

A roar fills the air. It's away from us, and I don't think their attacking again. Maybe they do this for…for what? To moarn for their dead companions? Their Alpha? Or is it just a call they do, like wolves howl to the moon?

I hear a yell come from behind me.

Cato.

Damn it! I forgot about him! I turn to see him charging me, his sword held pointed at me. I wasn't prepared for him to attack. I let my guard down because of the mutts. I can't bring my knife of tomahawk to meet it.

No…

His sword enters my lower abdomen.

It's funny really. I expected it to hurt a lot more then it would. I don't feel any pain. I just feel the cold metal entering my body, then exiting out my back. He has so much force that I'm airborne, above his head. Reality hits me when he slams me into the ground. The cold has been replaced by a white hot pain. I yell out when I hit the ground, and he's still holding the sword once he's done. He lets go. I ignore the pain as best I can and try moving up but I can't. There are two reasons for this. The pain. And this sword's pinning me to the ground. The part of the sword that exited my back was long enough to stick me to the ground. I try moving again, but the pain stops me.

"Now," Cato says, his voice dripping venom. "How about I have a little fun with your girlfriend over there?"

His head jars to the side as an arrow passes him. He turns around and takes a bow to the face, which sends him spinning to my left. Katniss charges him. She swings the bow at his face again, but he's prepared for it now. He takes hold of it and wrench's it out of her grip. He throws a fist, but she parries it and throws an open palm that connects to his face. He stumbles backwards, holding his face. He drops his hands. She broke his nose. He seems to loose it and let's out a scream before charging Katniss, throwing punches and kicks at her. She doges most and throws a few of her own.

During all this time, I'm still trying to remove this sword in me. I keep pulling despite the pain, but the sword won't budge. I have to help Katniss. She knows how to fight. She was smart to ask me to help her with it. But that doesn't mean that she's going to win. Cato may have fought for an hour against Nazos, but when he looses it, it doesn't seem to have any affected on him. He'll end up out lasting her. I keep tying to remove this sword. Not even bugging. The hilt of the sword is right on my stomach, it's very deep.

'Come on. Come out. Come out!'

I hear a grunt from both Katniss and Cato. I turn to see them stumble back; Cato holding his neck and Katniss holding her chest. Cato recovers very quickly and sprints to Katniss. She's not prepared for him. He punches her in the face and her head jerks back. He grabs her and throws a knee in her stomach hard enough to lift her slightly in the air. He then brings both hands above his head and slams them into her back, which throws her on her stomach.

Oh god. I need to get this out of me. He proceeds to kick her, which rolls her over on her back. He brings a foot down on her chest and I hear a sickening crack. She yells out in pain. He kneels with his foot still on her chest.

"How about you entertain me like they say you entertain Alto over there." Katniss gives a confused excerption.

Wait, what does he mean by entertaining me?

…

Oh dear god no.

I'm able to get a look at Cato's face, which shows a dirty smile. Katniss sees it too, and she panics. She tries picking herself up, but Cato grabs her throat and forces her head back down. He sits on top of her, pining her to the ground, and his hands start to wander on her. She starts screaming, flailing her arms and legs, doing anything to get Cato off her. He throws another punch at her face. I'm still trying to get this sword out of me, grabbing the hilt with both hands and pulling as hard as I can, but this sword must be held in place by god or something.

"Come on!" I say aloud.

"Alto!" Katniss screams. "Help! Alto, please!"

I try pulling harder, praying to god that I can get this out of me.

"Alto!" She keeps yelling.

I don't want to look at her because I'm afraid of what I'll see.

"Please!" She's been reduced to this.

Muffled screams.

She lets loose a blood curtailing scream, one that seems to echo throughout the entire arena. This time, I loose it. Hearing her makes me snap. The feelings of horror and dread have been replaced by hatred, so much hatred for one person. Cato. My hands are still on the sword. I twist the sword three hundred sixty degrees, bringing more pain that I can't feel. I pull with all that I have, and the sword's free. I throw myself to my feet and charge.

"**CATO!" **I scream. He turns to look at me, his face showing annoyance. It quickly switches to horror when he sees me with his sword charging towards him.

I swing the sword three times in the span of two seconds.

The cannon fires.

I'm breathing heavily, leaning on the sword that's in Cato's heart. I take a look at my handy work. Cato's been split into three places; his head's been severed; his lower body's been disconnected with his upper body, and his heart being stabbed. Katniss. I turn and get to her quickly.

"Katniss! Are you alright!?" I ask in a panicked voice.

Katniss's shirt's been nearly torn off. The collar of her shirt's been stretched to where her right shoulder's slipping through it. Her shirt has tears all over, and it's barely concealing her bra. Her belt's been taken off, and her pant legs have been ripped off. Her braid's loose, and her hair waves freely.

She answers me by clinging on to me as if I were her lifeline. She's breathing heavily and shaking violently against me, and she's soaking my jacket with tears. I simply hold her, patting her back and telling her that it's alright and to calm down.

"It's alright Katniss. Calm down. Come on, breath with me." I start taking deep, deliberate breaths, and she matches it. We do this for a few minutes before she's breathing normally again. She's still holding on to me, but she eventually loosens her grip and looks at me.

"You better?" I ask softly.

"I'm-m better-r. Still a little s-shaken."

"That's…natural." I say as I shake my head, trying to rid this drowsiness.

"Here. Let me look at that leg." She says. She removes her jacket and makes a tourniquet around my leg.

"Let's move away from Cato, they need to pick his body up." Katniss nods, and helps me walk to the lake, but not before I pick up my tomahawk, knife, and sword. I'm not to sure about the Nazos, so better to be safe then sorry. Once there, Katniss brings the canteen we left down here in a hurry to my lips, then she downs the rest. A mockingjay gives a long, low whistle, and Katniss's eyes tear up as she watches the hovercraft taking Cato. Now we can go home.

Nothing happens.

"Where the hell's the hovercraft?" I ask weakly, the blood loss and fatigue finally getting to me.

"I don't know."

Claudius Templesmith's voice booms into the arena.

"Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed." He says. "Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."

There's a small burst of static and then nothing.

…

…

"I'm not that surprised that they pulled this on us." I say. I pick myself up, pulling my sword. Katniss brings an arrow to bear. I simply look at her and stab the sword to the ground. She drops her bow and takes a few steps back. I pick the sword up again, flipping it, making the hilt face her.

"Take the sword…and end it here."

"No. I can't. I won't."

"No. You end it Katniss. Hurry before they decide to make the decision for us."

"Then you do it." She says furiously, swatting the sword away from herself. "You  
kill me and go home and live with it!"

"You know I can't do that." I say dropping the sword. "I'll end it myself then." I remove the bandage on my leg, letting it bleed freely once again.

"No. You can't kill yourself." She says, desperately trying to plaster the bandage back.

"It's what I want."

"You're not leaving me." Why is she so confusing?

I collapse on my knees; the dizziness in my head is starting to get stronger.

"We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. So you're going to be…" Katniss doesn't seem to listening to me. She's thinking of something, but I don't know what. Katniss reaches for her pack and pulls a small pouch from it. I grab her wrist.

"What are you thinking?"

"Trust me." She whispers. We hold each others gaze for awhile before my hand lets go on its own. She loosens the top of the pouch and pours a few spoonfuls of berries into both our palms.

I see.

"On the count of three?"

"Just one thing." I say.

"What's that?"

I lean in, both our lips next to the others ears. Then in a hushed voice, only loud enough for Katniss to hear, too low for even the microphones that the Capital has, I ask. "Was it all real?"

"What?" She asks in the same hushed voice.

"You and me; was it all real?"

You might of notice that there wasn't any impute from me about what I thought about Katniss and I. And that's because I didn't know whether it was real or not. I could see the signs that Haymitch was giving us. One kiss equals broth or food. Or at any emotional moments. Some kisses felt like they were just for the sponsors. But then others felt like they were for me and only me. Some of the emotional stories were just for us. I still remember when Katniss and I nearly lost it in the cave a few nights back. I know that wasn't for the cameras. It's just so confusing. I've tried to work it all out, but I can't tell. Before I die, I need to know how she feels about me.

It feels like a lifetime before she answers, but it's only been a few seconds. She answers.

"Yes. It was real. It confused me too, but… I know how I feel about you now."

A single tear falls down my face and I give a weak smile. "On the count of three."

We turn around, sitting back to back, our empty hands locked together tightly.

"Hold them out. I want everyone to see." I tell her.

We spread out our fingers, letting the world see the Nightlock in our hands. Katniss gives my hand one last squeeze as a good-bye. We start counting down.

"One." Is this the only way?

"Two." How does everyone else look at this?

"Three!"

I lift my hand to my mouth.

The trumpets blare. Claudius Templesmith panicked voice shouts above us. "Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Alto Hayes! I give you the tributes of District Twelve!"

I spit the berries out, using my sleeve to wipe any juice that remains. I take a hold of Katniss and plunge our faces into the lake to wash out our mouths. I pull back and we fall on our backs.

"You didn't swallow any?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "You?"

"No."

The roar of the audience in the Capital is defining and literally shakes the ground. A hovercraft apperes out of nowhere above us and drops two ladders. Katniss doesn't trust me on my own so she helps me to the first ladder. We place our feet on the first rung of the ladder which freezes us in place as it pulls us up. I'm aware that my legs still bleeding once we get onboard.

Katniss drops for no apparent reason. I panic. Doctors start closing on me, they must have knocked her out, but in my mind, I still think I'm in the Games. I pull my sword and swing, taking the arm off two doctors.

"**WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?" **I roar. I can't trust anyone right now. **"STAY BACK YOU BASTERDS OR I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!" **

The doctors panic at the sight of two of their companions loosing an arm, so they run.

"Alto! Calm down!" a voice says. I crane my head to find the source.

"Haymitch?"

Then a needle jabs me in the neck.

When I wake, I find myself in a room. The entire ceiling glows with a soft yellow light allowing me to see that I'm in a room containing just my bed. No doors, no windows are visible. My right arm has several tubes that extend into the wall behind me. I'm naked, but the bedclothes are covering me. I also notice that a tube's been shoved down my throat which is accompanied with an air mask around my mouth. I immediately pull it from my face, coughing now that the tubes been removed. Then I take a good look of my hand. The scratches from the Games have either faded or disappeared all together. I try sitting up, but find that I can only move a few inches up due to some restraints around my waist. It doesn't surprise me that they'd have me restrained. I mean, I'd restrain myself too if I was attacked like I attacked the doctors. I take a look at my chest to find that the scar the Nazos gave me's still there, healed only slightly. I keep looking around the room for any openings when a portion of the wall slides open to reveal the Avox girl carrying a tray. I know where the door is now. She sets the tray across my thighs, presses something that raises me to a sitting position, and adjusts my pillows. She hands me a spoon before making to the door.

"Wait." She stops and turns to me.

"If you can, can you tell my mentor to let the doctors know that I want to keep this." I point at the Nazo scare.

She nods.

"Thank you." She exits the room.

A bowl of clear broth, a small serving of applesauce, and a glass of water are what occupy the tray. I find it pathetic, but once I start eating, I see that it's difficult to finish it all. Strange. I don't feel the need to know if Katniss is alright, because I know she is. Now I'm curious to how long I've been out for. Before I can get an idea, I feel a strange cold feeling start in my hand, than I black out.

This happens many times for who know how long. I'll wake, eat, then knock out again. Then, finally, I wake and find that I'm not restrained anymore, nor are there any tubes in my arm. I look at myself. Every scar that I've had from the Games have been healed and even the scars that I've received before them. I look at my chest. The Nazo scars still mostly there. I slip my legs from the bed. I don't know how they'll take my weight. I find that my right leg is fine, but my left leg will still need to recover somewhat. That doesn't bother me though because with all that's happened to it, I'm surprised I still have a leg. I look at the foot of the bed to find my cloths, as well as a cane.

"Oh great."

The same cloths that we wore at the beginning of the Games. I put them on and walk to the door that looks like the wall. It slides open to reveal a wide, deserted hall that appears to have no other doors on it. But there are of course. Now if I'm awake, Katniss should be awake too.

"Katniss!" I call. I get an answer, but it's not Katniss.

Effie.

I turn and see them all waiting in a big chamber at the end of the hall; Effie, Haymitch, and Portia. They walk towards me as I walk to them. We reach each other.

"Nice work boy." Haymitch says. "How's the leg?"

"I'm happy I still have one, after what happened. How's Katniss?"

"She's fine, but they want you two have your reunion live on air at the ceremony." Haymitch answers.

"Huh. Typical."

"You're telling me. Go with Portia. She'll get you ready."

She leads me through some corridors and an elevator before we reach the training center lobby. So the hospital's underneath. Well that's not to surprising. The windows in here are covered and a few peacekeepers are standing guard. We walk through the lobby, our footsteps and my cane echoing into the room, and make it to another elevator. We ride it all the way up to the twelfth floor. It reminds me of all the dead, but I try pushing that thought aside.

When the elevator opens, I'm literally consumed by my prep team. It's obvious that they're happy to see me alive. They keep running their hands all over me and shout in happiness for a few minutes, making sure that I'm not an illusion, before they usher me to the dinning room. I get to eat more this time, but not as much as I'd like. I get steak along with some corn, peas, rice, and bisect.

"You should already know what happens if we give you too much." Portia says, but she slips me a chocolate muffin under the table. I give her a smile.

After they lead me to my room. They set the shower up for me and massage my body when I'm out, which helps a lot. They slick my hair back again, and again, I find it annoying. Portia hands me some cloths; a very nice black suit with red streaks on the side of the sleeves, a gold dress shirt, black pants also with red streaks, and solid black boots. She also has a black walking stick for me.

"I heard that an Avox told Haymitch that you said that you wanted to keep the scar you got from the muttations. Any reasoning to that?" She ask.

"I kept it to remember." She pauses for a few seconds before continuing to help me in my cloths.

"Why the dark colors?" I ask as I look at myself.

"Well, you seem like the mysterious type, and that tends to be represented by dark colors. Why, you don't like?"

"Oh no, I like it. I was just curious."

"Just one thing though." She starts messing with the suit, but she also speaks.

"Listen and listen carefully. You and Katniss are in trouble. Word is the Capitol's furious about you two showing them up in the arena. The one thing they can't stand is being laughed at and they're the joke of Panem." She says in a hushed voice.

Maybe the Nightlock trick I was thinking of backfired. I can see why they would blame both of us. I got the berries and Katniss decided to use them.

"So how do I work through this?"

"You just have to make them believe that you two were so madly in love with each other that you weren't thinking straight. Got it?"

"Got it."

We take the elevator to the area we were trained at. We walk half way through before I stop to take everything in again. The weapons are still here, and there's a sense of something, I don't know what to call it. Some how Portia forgot about me, so I wander to the knifes. I find one that can be concealed easily and slip it into my sleeve before making my way underneath the stage.

I can hear the crowd cheering above me, and the grounds shaking slightly. I find the metal plate and stand on it, waiting for it to move up. The anthem booms in my ears, and then I hear Caesar Flickerman greeting the audience. The crowd breaks into applause as the prep teams are presented. Portia and Cinna receive huge cheers of course. Haymitch's appearance brings a round of stomping that goes on at least five minutes. Then I'm lifted by the plate.

The lights are blinding and the cheering becomes even louder. I turn to find Katniss only a few yards away from me, wearing a yellow dress that seems to glow despite the blinding lights. I'm take only one step and Katniss slams into me. I stagger back slightly, drop the cane and cling to her as she's clinging to me, and the crowds going insane. We hold each other, running our hands through the others bodies, appropriately, and kissing. After what I guess is about ten minutes, Caesar taps me on the shoulder to continue the show. I simply ignore him, and the crowd goes nuts. A few minutes after, Haymitch give us a good natured push toward the victor's chair; plush red velvet love seat.

It's so small that Katniss is nearly sitting on my lap. She kicks off her sandals and tucks her feet to the side and leans her head against my shoulder. My arm goes around her automatically. Caesar makes a few more jokes, and then it's time for the show. The lights dim and the seal appears on the screen. I don't want to watch this but I have to. I notice that Katniss has tensed up, and I can hear her heart beat. I give her hands a reassuring squeeze.

Several weeks in three hours, how does that work? The first half hour or so focuses on the pre-arena events, the reaping, the chariot ride through the Capitol, our training scores, and our interviews. Once we're in the arena, there's detailed coverage of the bloodbath and then the filmmakers basically alternate between shots of tributes dying and shots of us. I could say it's even between us with the amount of coverage. They play Rue's death in full, the spearing, Katniss's failed rescue attempt, her arrow through the boy from District 1's throat, Rue drawing her last breath in Katniss's arms. And the song. She gets to sing every note of the song. It continues on until the part when were on the hovercraft and I take off two doctors arms. I wince a little at that, Katniss's eyes widen, and I hear a collection of gasps from the crowd. It ends with me standing over Katniss with my sword out trying to protect her, which I guess works with the situation Portia told me.

The anthem's playing yet again and we rise as President Snow himself takes the stage followed by a little girl carrying a cushion that holds the crown. There's just one crown though. I'm confused, as is Katniss and everyone else until President Snow gives it a twist and it separates into two halves.

Here's my chance.

I glance at the crowd. Different people who are standing close to the peacekeepers give me nods. The knife I concealed slips into my hand, but not fully, as not to make anyone suspicious. He places the first half of the crown on Katniss's head. He looks happy, but his eyes are cursing her. Then he comes to me, doing the same thing. I notice something about him though.

I don't smell blood or roses.

From what I've been told, Snow smells like blood and roses. Blood, I don't know why. Roses, due to the genetically engineered rose that he wears. He smells like neither.

'Damn. Imposter.'

As he puts the crown on my head, I start coughing up a storm.

"Are you alright young man?" He asks while patting my back. I bring my right hand up to cover my mouth and the knife in my hand slides back down into my sleeve. I glance at the crowd again to see the people who nodded at me back off the peacekeepers.

"Just give me a moment sir." I say. I cough for a few more seconds before it subsides.

"Sorry sir. I inhaled something."

He nods and leaves.

We spend an undetermined amount of time bowing, cheering, and waving. My arms are about to fall off when Caesar bids the audience a good night and reminds them to tune in tomorrow for the final interviews. Katniss and I are whisked to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet, where we have very little time to eat as Capitol officials and generous sponsors elbow one another out of the way as they try to get their picture with us. Face after beaming face flashes by, becoming increasingly intoxicated as the evening wears on. I just wear a smile and laugh and take pictures. Katniss is by my side the entire time because she won't let go of my hand.

I wonder if Katniss knows about the Capital hating us? Haymitch probably told her.

When the suns peeking over the horizon when we make our way back to the twelfth floor in the training center. I want a moment with Katniss, but Haymitch sends me to bed. So I comply and knock out once I hit the bed.

Hour's later, Effie barges in.

"Big, big, big day!"

I eat a bowl of noodles before I dress in the same suit I wore before. The interview takes place right down the hall in the sitting room. They basically move the love seat there and it's surrounded by vases of red and pink roses.

Wow. I'll stick out like a sore thumb. Black and blood red against red and pink background. But I don't mind. I liked this suit anyway.

I find Katniss and she looks in my direction. I motion to the dinning room and she follows. When we make it there, I take her into an embrace. Her hair covers my mouth and her arm covers her own.

"Did Haymitch tell you?" I whisper.

"Tell me what?"

"About the Capital."

"Oh. Yes he told me about that. We have to try and play along more so then we would."

I give her a quick kiss on the nose. "Well that should be easy." I say with a smirk.

Katniss smiles back and nods. Then we make it back to the sitting room. We sit somewhat formally on the love seat. But Creaser says it's alright if we curl up together, so we sit the way we sat the last time. Caesar Flickerman starts off with teasing, joking, getting choked up when the occasion presents itself. I'm the one answering most of the questions and Katniss just smile a lot and try to speak as little as possible. After awhile, they ask her a more directed question.

"Well Alto, we know from our days in the cave, that it was love at first sight for you for what, only a few years?"

"I guess you can put it that way."

"But Katniss, what a ride for you. I think the real excitement for the audience  
was watching you fall for him. When did you realize you were in love with him?" Asks Caesar.

"Oh, that's a hard one . . ." She gives a faint, breathy laugh and look down at her  
hands. She can't think of anything.

"Well, I know when it hit me; he night when you shouted out his name from  
that tree." He says.

She uses his example. "Yes, I guess that was it. I mean, until that point, I just tried not to think about what my feelings might be honestly, because it was so confusing and it only made things worse if I actually cared about him. But then, in the tree, everything changed."

"Why do you think that was?" Urges Caesar.

"Maybe . . . because for the first time . . . there was a chance I could keep  
him." She says.

'Well played Katniss.' I just hold her tighter.

Creaser segues into all the ways we did get hurt in the arena. From burns, to stings, to wounds, and that continues until he reaches the part with the berries.

"Now, at the moment when you pulled out those berries, what was going on in your mind . . . hm?" He asks.

"I don't know, I just . . . couldn't bear the thought of . . . being without him." Katniss answers.

"Alto? Anything to add?"

"No. I think that goes for both of us." I say.

Caesar signs off and it's over.

We go to our rooms to collect our things, even though I don't have anything to take. They drive us through the streets in a car with blackened windows, and the train's waiting for us. We barely have time to say good-bye to Cinna and Portia, although we'll see them in a few months, when we tour the districts for a round of victory ceremonies.

The train begins moving and we're plunged into night until we clear the tunnel. Effies accompanying us back to twelve. Katniss and I go to our rooms to wash up and change. I'm going to keep this suit. I throw on a simple shirt and jeans.

Home. Were going home. Oh god, I didn't think I'd make it through the Games to see this. I'll see everyone again. Get to hunt like I use to…

But I didn't kill Snow.

That was the whole point of me volunteering. I was to win and then kill Snow, but that guy was an imposter.

I failed…

Damn it.

It's not a loss though. Well not for me. I came out with a girl by my side; Katniss. I think personally, I like her better when she's just Katniss Everdeen. The girl who hunts and sells in the Hob.

When the train makes a brief stop for fuel, we're allowed to go outside for some fresh air. There's no longer any need to guard us. Katniss and I walk down along the track, hand in hand, and I can't find anything to say now that we're alone. Katniss does however.

"Ok. If were going to be together, we need to make some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" I ask as I pick some wild flowers.

"Yes, ground rules."

"And these rules are?" I'm smirking a little.

"Well first, you may have liked all the kissing and lovey-dove stuff, but I for one, didn't."

"So I guess the rule's to ease off that when we get back?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Whatever makes you happy." I hand her the flowers. "But don't be surprised if I sneak one or two kisses in once in awhile."

She sighs. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You can do a lot with me. But there are too many things to list. Come on; let's get back to the train." She nods and we make our way back to the train.

We generally stay in the dinning cart for the rest of the day, stuffing our faces, with good food and desserts. I go through three chocolate cakes. What ever they put in it's got me hooked. After we demolish the dinning cart, we retire to our rooms. I for one slept like a baby that night with a full stomach. At morning, I come out of my room dressed nice, and literally shaking in excitement. Katniss come in a few minutes after wearing a red dress.

"You like that suit I'm guessing?" She asks, pointing at me and the suit that I wore the few days before.

"I love it. My favorite colors. Are you excited that were back?"

"I am. I'm literally shaking."

"Same here."

We watch our grimy little station rise up around us. Through the window, I can see the platform's thick with cameras. Everyone will be eagerly watching our homecoming.

I extend my hand.

Katniss takes it.

The doors open…

**END OF BOOK ONE**

* * *

**Thank all of you who have read my story. I don't know about you guys, but I'm kind of sad that this story is over. But I still have two others to write. Yay! Next story's called 'Catching Fire V2'. **


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